


For All I'm Worth

by tmo



Series: One and Only [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Humans, M/M, Shapeshifters - Freeform, Vampires, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-22
Updated: 2014-07-22
Packaged: 2018-01-13 10:18:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 99,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1222603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tmo/pseuds/tmo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything has an end and a beginning. It just so happens that this is the beginning of Kakashi's life in a world where werewolves and vampires are supposed enemies. Shonen-Ai, blood and sort-of politics. Edited.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except for the plot and maybe an OC or two who are barely seen.

On December 20th, in the year 5773, the Great War between werewolves and vampires began. Tension had been growing between both sides before but the last straw came with the bombing of a school in the country side. The school erupted in flames and burned to the ground.

Most of the school's population consisted of Werechildren and only a handful survived. The Werepeople were outraged and they grew even angrier when the vampires claimed to have not participated.

Investigations were held and witnesses confirmed that one of the carrier planes in the Royal Vampire Family's airplane hangar. The Royal Family confirmed that it was one of their planes and that a shipment of explosives had been made but they claimed that it had been an accident. The werewolves demanded the vampires pay for their lies and mistake but the vampires claimed they owed them nothing for the little tragedy.

The werewolves planned attacks on the vampires and the vampires retaliated. Both sides grew angrier until the whole country was in chaos. The shifters and humans were caught in the middle trying to instill peace between the two groups but nothing could be done. It was war.

Cities and towns were destroyed and the death toll was high but eventually the vampires won and the werewolves retreated into the mountains. The ones who stayed went into hiding, only to be slaughtered by the vampires of found.

Ever since the Great War, werewolves have been scarce.

Vampires had been unofficially crowned the superior race and the werewolves as the lesser.

But in between the folds of society, retaliations are being planned by the werewolves to rise up and maybe come to a compromise with their foes.


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: vampires and werewolves age differently than humans and shapeshifters in this story so do tread with caution.

 

February 29th, 6064

* * *

 

He hated his job. It had been a long and tiring week and all he wanted to do was to rest without his employer calling him with a new job to be done every time he was about to doze off.

It was hard to find peace in his home, not that the noise of the city bothered him. On the contrary, the loud noises helped to distract him from the underlying memories in his home, plaguing his moods.

This was why he was now sitting up in a tall tree, one leg hanging off while his elbow sat on the knee of the other, on the outskirts of the city. It was the part of town where they were less likely to find him.

He let the wind filter through his hair and he shivered. It smelled of wet grass and pine needles which signaled the coming of April showers. It had been a while since he had the pleasure of getting in touch with nature like this. His work always consisted of lurking near either foul-smelling factories or bars.

As you could probably tell, the job of a hired assassin sucked especially when it came to being Hatake Kakashi. He was well-known as being one of the best, meaning he was hired often. All his jobs were completed with success, not meaning to brag, but he truly was a genius in a deadly fit body. He was quick and never overdid anything anymore than he had to.

He sighed and rested his head back against the tree's trunk. The bird calls had stopped. It was going to rain soon but the young man didn't mind. He continued to listen to the rustling of the trees branches and the...

Laughter?

No, it wasn't just laughing. He could hear someone gasping for breath as if they had just run a marathon. He peered off his branch to the ground below.

He stumbled and caught hold of the nearest tree to steady him. He was young; he couldn't have been older than Kakashi himself. At his angle, Kakashi couldn't see the boy's face but he was wearing something that might have been jeans in its past life but were now faded so much they almost had no color in them at all. His chocolate-brown hair was pulled into what used to be a tight pony-tail but now stay strands fell into his face with all the running. The boy had on a blue sweater over a plain white tee and Kakashi could see that his shoes were not the newest. Could he be homeless?

Kakashi heard the laughter again the boy obviously did too because he looked back towards the noises and began running again. Curious, Kakashi pulled himself to the end of the branch and hopped lithely to the forest floor. He slid smoothly behind the tree and waited for the owners of the laughing to pass. As they approached, the laughter stopped and the voices got more aggressive.

"Come on, I'm tired if this. Let's stop toying with him and get this over with."

"Yeah, yeah, I know! The clearing's up ahead. We're almost there."

"Good,"

The voices were getting closer and Kakashi could sense that they were at least four and that they too were younger than him. They were walking lazily, sometimes bumping into each other and shoving in return. Maybe it was a gang?

The young men passed him and Kakashi silently followed them, hiding within the trees.

Up ahead, the younger boy got to the clearing. It was littered with rocks of all shapes and sizes. The clearing was surrounded by trees in a U shape and a street caped it off with an old, abandoned warehouse on the other side. It couldn't exactly be called a clearing because it seemed like it had been an old parking lot that was torn up years ago. It was just on the edge of town where it was rare to find anyone wandering around.

When the boy got there, he didn't notice the football-sized rock in his path and he went down like… Well, a rock. He had thrown his hands out to stop his fall and the hard gavel was not kind as it bit into his palms. He had just hit the ground when the other four materialized to his side.

"Aw, look the poor, little human fell down!" So, they were vampires. He could only assume the one speaking was the leader of this troop of because all the others laughed as he planted his foot on the poor boy's scraped hands. The human whimpered and tried to pull his hands back but the leader was a lot heavier.

Kakashi hid behind the nearest tree.

The gang’s eyes turned red and fangs slipped from their mouths, eyeing the being before them. The leader stooped down to the human's eye level with his foot still crushing his hand painfully. "Don’t worry; we're not going to drink your blood. We're going to make you wish you that you'd let us when we're done with you, though," the leader said menacingly into the boy's ear. He stood up and looked at his lackeys, motioning to them as if to say 'go ahead', taking his foot off the hand that was almost broken.

Almost at once, they all began pounding the little human into the dirt with kicks. The poor figure curled him into a fetal position and took the hits, not daring to cry out in pain. Kakashi didn't do anything at first. He had seen what gang fights could do to someone and the results weren't pretty. The smell hit him only moments after they began the beating. Even as a vampire, Kakashi had always had a keen sense of smell, better than any normal vampire’s.

The smell of the boy's blood so strong it was almost suffocating and it called up a distant memory in his mind; one that spoke wonders and Kakashi’s eyes widened. That was when he stepped out from behind the tree.

They didn't notice him at first but when he approached the leader stopped mid-kick and turned to him. The younger vampire took a stance and tried to look superior but as Kakashi came into the light of the grey afternoon he wavered; the figure looking slightly familiar to him. He called to Kakashi, "What do you want?"

Kakashi stepped closer and said. “Leave him alone."

The leader laughed and his henchmen followed suit nervously. “Oh, yeah? What are you going to do about it?"

Kakashi got even closer until he was inches away from the smaller man who was now unsure of himself. He repeated himself calmly, "I said leave him alone."

The other man sneered and bared his fangs at him. “And I said what are you going to do about it?"

Kakashi was angry now and he could feel the blood in his eyes churning, glowing red. He quickly made a fist and slammed it into the leader's face.

The other fell and clutched at his face as blood trickled from his now broken nose. He swore and looked back up at Kakashi who was now towering over him. One of his lackeys gasped and pointed to the man who had taken down their leader, finding the recognition that escaped the leader. "It’s Hatake Kakashi!"

With that, the whole gang went wide eyed, turned and fled back into the forest. Even the leader scrambled back from the offending man, got up and ran into the safety of the trees.

Kakashi unclenched his fist and sighed. They were gone. He looked back to the little, broken figure on the hard ground. He quickly but cautiously made his way to the young man's side, taking every precaution. He bent down to take a look at the prone figure sprawled on the ground to make sure he was still breathing.

When he got closer, what he saw was the most angelic face ever covered with bruises, scrapes and cuts. A small cut on the young man's forehead was the source of the trickle of blood going down his face and his fine bottom lip was split only a little ways from the center. When he brushed the knuckle of his index over the soft, smooth, cinnamon-colored cheek, those dark, delicate eyebrows furrowed together and the young man's eyes fluttered open. Kakashi found himself staring into two endless pools of brown and gold rimmed by thick, black eyelashes. He almost forgot to breathe when those eyes were on him. He took a deep breath and asked, “Are you okay?"

The eyes blinked again and the man began to sit up, his face contorting in pain. Kakashi placed a gentle hand on the other's shoulder. "You shouldn't move, yet. Something might be broken."

"No... No... I'm alright." the younger man's voice was soft, almost a whisper, but it was laced with pain. He was sitting up now and Kakashi stood straight as he held out his hand to him. A rain drop fell into his palm and they both turned their faces towards the heavens as the rain drop's little brothers and sisters fell onto their faces.

When he looked back to the other those eyes were turned back up to him and his breath caught in his throat as they looked from his eyes to his outstretched hand in uncertainty. With a hesitant hand, he took Kakashi's and the older hoisted him up. As soon as he was standing he looked back into Kakashi's eyes and the assassin's heart stopped beating again. The younger man was shorter than him but Kakashi could see that he was tall enough so that his chin was at eye level for the younger man. They were only an inch or two apart and Kakashi gathered that if he leaned forward he could kiss the shorter man on the forehead.

They stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed like an eternity until the brunet's face screwed itself up in pain again and then his eyes rolled back into his head. Kakashi had just enough time to catch him before he hit the ground.

X-X-X

His head hurt. A lot. He groaned and shifted on the very comfy thing he had woken up on.

Where was he?

He cracked an eye open a sliver and saw he was in someone's bedroom; an ornate one at that. Furnishings of the highest quality decorated the room.  There was a window to his left and to his right a door that he could see lead to an adjoining bathroom. A bedside table sat on the right side of the bed and the walls were a pale beige color. Everything was so grand but it all felt cold.

He sat up slowly and felt the blanket that was covering him slip off. He winced slightly as a sharp pain coursed through his ribcage. He had definitely punctured something. He placed a hand on the throbbing pain and found that his shirt had been removed, replaced with soft bandages to hold his middle. He became more aware how bruised and battered his body was. On his head, a bruise sat proudly upon his left cheek bone and he could feel as he ran his tongue over his lips that his lip had been split. His hands had little marks that signaled that most of his injuries had time to heal themselves.

He guessed that he must have looked much worse earlier if his body had healed itself at its usual rate.

He saw his sweater, shirt and socks sitting on top of the dresser, a glass of water waiting for him on the bedside table. He still had his jeans on and his hair was still in his usual pony-tail but he couldn't remember why he was here.

It came back to him in a rush.

He had been delivering the message and then those teenagers had shown up. Hard rocks scrapping his hands, knees and cheeks. Crushing pressure on his hands. Kicks. Punches. Bones breaking. Bruising. Hurting until the world closed in around him.

Then it had stopped. He’d heard them yell something before disappearing. He’d kept still in case they came back and decided to go on but no hits came. Instead, he felt a gentle touch on his cheek and when he opened his eyes he saw the most handsome being ever.

The man’s shock of white-gray hair stood up on all ends and covered partially his right eye. His visible eye was the amazing color of black steel, they were cold but if you looked deeper you could see a glimmer of warmth. His skin looked as white as the porcelain on a china doll and just as breakable. He had a strong nose with a jaw to match and his sensual mouth was entrancing as it danced when saying 'are you okay?' His voice was deep and rough.

When the man talked to him, he had almost stopped thinking. He had started to sit up but pain shot through him like lightening. The handsome man spoke to him again but he didn't want to make him worry. He was surprised when the man reached out a hand to help him up. For one reason or another, he was compelled to take it. They looked into each other's eyes and the whole world stopped in that moment as if they were both under a spell. They pain came back but then it had been a hundred times worse and he couldn't ignore it. He blacked out but not before feeling the handsome man catch him before he hit the ground.

Was he in that man's house?

He soundlessly slid out of bed and made his way to the desk opposite the bed. Some letters on the desk were opened and other was closed but they seemed to be addressed to the same person. Hatake Kakashi. Wait a minute, he'd heard that name before. Where had he heard it? He couldn't remember.

Voices reached his ears. They were coming from beyond the door. He opened it soundlessly and crept out. The voices were coming from down the hall. With ninja-stealth, he stepped into the hall and crept down it until he peeked around a corner to find a grand staircase that faced the main entrance.

The voices were coming from a room to the right. Carefully, he made it down the stairs without making any noise, quickly making his way to the door. He intently listened from outside. He only recognized the handsome man's voice, the other's foreign to him.

"What was I supposed to do? Leave him there in the cold?"

X-x-X

Genma had shown up only moments after he finished putting away the first-aid kit. He only remembered now that it was their weekly 'guys’ night' as Genma like to call them. He hadn't meant to tell Genma about the young man in his bedroom but he had felt compelled. He’d known Genma for years and he trusted him.

"So, let me get this straight. You were sitting in a tree." Kakashi nodded.

"And then you found some kids beating that….guy up." Nod.

"You scared them off." Nod.

"And the guy fell unconscious," Nod.

"So, you decided to bring him back here?" Nod, nod.

"You’re the biggest idiot I have ever met." Genma ground out as he stood up from his chair by the fire and began pacing the study. Kakashi sat calmly from his own seat by the fire and watched as his friend paced the room's length in nervous ovals.

"What was I supposed to do? Leave him there to get a cold and die?" he asked, his eyebrow raised itself as he directed the question to the man standing. Genma stopped pacing when Kakashi spoke and turned slowly the face him.

"Yes. That would have solved at lot of problems that are now forming as we speak." Genma threw his hands in the air in defeat and sat back down in his seat. "Besides, it’s not like he would’ve died, being what he is. If news gets out that you have a-... That in your home, the Council is going to screw you sideways, Kakashi."

"You think I don't know that?" Kakashi began rubbing his temple to stop the headache that was coming on. "The Council has employed me more than once, I know what they can do."

"And yet you're the one who made the decision that put us here in the first place." Genma looked at his old friend skeptically. He knew that one day Kakashi was going to get himself in trouble he just hadn't known when. "How do you know that he's... one of them?"

"His blood. The way the little cuts were healing before my eyes. If he wasn't, I would be surprised." When he had been dressing the young man's wounds he noticed that the cut on his forehead had healed already and didn't need tending to anymore but it was that first whiff of his blood that had tipped him off, glad now that those teenagers hadn’t the same senses as he did.

"I can't help you." With that, Genma stood up and grabbed his coat as he made his way to the study doors. He had his hand on the knob when hesitated and turned back to face Kakashi who was now standing. "I would help you Kakashi but..."

"You promised Raidō." Kakashi finished. He waved Genma off. "Go."

"You’re a really good friend to us, Kakashi. Let's just hope the Council doesn't catch you." with those as his last words he pushed open the door and left the mansion through the grand entrance.

Kakashi heaved a great sigh and flopped back down into his chair. He placed his cheek on his fist and stared into the flames of orange and gold, calling out, "come in."

A head peaked its way into the room around the door and, once it drew that the area was safe, the young man stepped uncertainly into the room. Kakashi stood up and spoke in low tones as he made his way to stand in front of the shorter man. He met the younger man's eyes and he almost lost his breath again when he saw those brown orbs lighted by the fire. "There aren't any cameras or bugs so you can explain to me who you are and why those vampires were after you."

The young man was put at ease when he heard that. He sighed softly and opened his mouth to speak, "Give me one good reason why a werewolf should tell a vampire anything."


	3. Chapter 2

 

"Give me one good reason why a werewolf should tell a vampire anything."

Kakashi smirked and said to him, "because the vampire saved the werewolf's life and he wants to know if it was the right thing to do or if he made the biggest mistake of his life."

The werewolf smirked back and wandered to the fireplace to stare into the flames. Kakashi noticed the werewolf still didn't have his shirt on but the bandages were in place. He also took into account how the light of the flames played of the skin that was more than two shades darker than his own. "Umino Iruka."

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked up to the werewolf's face in confusion. The young man looked back to the vampire and noticed the confusion on his handsome face. "It’s my name. You don't have to tell me yours. I already know it, Hatake Kakashi."

Kakashi went to his chair and sat down in his seat, motioning to the chair next to him. Iruka sat down gratefully but turned back to staring into the flames. After a long time, the werewolf finally spoke. "I was delivering a message. They asked for my blood, I said no, they started chasing me and… Well, you know the rest."

"Who were you delivering it to?" Kakashi asked.

"I can't tell you that." Iruka replied.

"Why not?" Kakashi started to raise his voice. He saved the 'Wolf's life the least he could do was tell Kakashi a simple piece of information.

"Because I don't feel like killing you."

Kakashi huffed and smirked. "As if you could kill me."

The werewolf was suddenly gone and when Kakashi stood up he felt a finger on the back of his neck. Spinning around, he found Iruka standing on his chair, his finger outstretched towards him. He said simply, "I could."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "How old are you?"

The werewolf hopped down from the chair as Kakashi took a step back and looked the tall one in the eyes. "Tell me your age and I will tell you mine."

"I’m going to be 20 centuries old soon." Kakashi said.

"I’m 17 centuries, going on 18," Iruka said with a smile. Kakashi eyebrows shot up and Iruka raised an eyebrow. "What? You thought I would be younger?"

"You look younger." Kakashi said matter-of-factly.

"If we're talking in human years, you don't look that old either." Iruka smiled and Kakashi did too at the inside joke. Their smiles faded just as quickly as they appeared. Iruka's gaze shifted back to the fire and he bit his lip. He began, “do you like it here?"

Kakashi smiled sadly. "No."

"Do you hate werewolves?"

"No."

Iruka looked back up at him and their eyes met again. He said softly, "Come with me,"

"Where?"

"A place where you don't have to kill for a living, unless you choose to,"

“How do you…” Going quiet, he said to himself that his job wasn’t exactly a secret. He looked away then back to Iruka. "Tell me more."

The werewolf shook his head and tipped his head to the floor. "I can't unless you say yes."

Kakashi thought for a few moments. "Can you give me some time?"

Iruka looked unsure but looked to the vampire and grinned, "Can I use your bathroom?"

Kakashi smiled back and nodded. The werewolf quickly turned around and walked towards the exit only pausing to say, "I'll tell you more since you're considering it."

Then he vanished from the room.

Kakashi stood there staring at the empty space that used to be Iruka.

XxX

 _Why?_ Iruka scolded himself. _Why did I do that?_

He sank deeper into the steaming bath water and sighed, his sigh coming out at little bubbles floating to the surface. _If he doesn’t join, I can’t leave him alive._

Once he got back to the bedroom, he’d quickly made his way to the bathroom where a beautiful claw-foot tub sat waiting to be filled but he felt cold on the inside despite the warm water, as if he’d just made a terrible mistake. He probably had.

_I don’t think I’d be able to stand a chance against him if it came down to a fight. If he finds out that I’m not much of a threat after all, I could find myself without a head._

He hugged his knees to his chest and set his head on them. Would Kakashi really come with him? He had gained new recruits before but this was different. He had never asked out of a spur of the moment like he did only a few minutes before. He wondered if he had made the right choice. The man had saved his life, the least Iruka could do in return was offer him a better way of living. Not to mention the repercussions if the man decided to fight with them or at the very least defend them.

He looked up through the window, catching a glimpse of the moon. It was almost midnight. He’d given Kakashi enough time to think. He stood, grabbed the white towel hanging from the towel bar and wrapped it around his slim hips. His hair dripped wet and little trails of water made their way to the floor.

There was a knock at the bedroom door and Iruka stepped out of the bathroom just as Kakashi entered the room. The vampire had a new change of clothes in his arms and he set them down on the bed.

"So-” Iruka started to say but stopped when he felt the cold, hard feel of hard eyes on him. Turning to face the older man, Iruka read right through the clenched fists and taut posture and saw an answer he hadn’t been looking for.

Iruka's face darkened and his eyes became glacial. "So, you've decided then."

"I'm sorry," Kakashi said as he narrowed his eyes. Iruka's widened in surprise when cold steel turned warm and he was given a small smile. "You’re just going to have to put up with me."

Iruka's eyebrows shot up in surprise, his eyes went soft again and he smiled lightly. "I promise you won't regret it."

XxX

Iruka sat on the bed with Kakashi.

He had changed into the black jeans and pale green shirt Kakashi had brought him and had been rubbing his wet untied his hair with the towel until he looked up to see Kakashi coming back into the room with a plate. On the plate was a very tasty looking sandwich. Iruka unconsciously licked his lips. He couldn't think of a time when a sandwich looked so good.

Kakashi got to the bed and placed the plate in front of the salivating werewolf. Iruka looked up at the man for affirmation and Kakashi nodded. The young man's eyes lit up and he pounced on the food. A serene smile fell on his lips as he savored the taste. Little did he know, the vampire who gave him the sandwich was scanning him.

There was something about the younger man that drew Kakashi to him. Maybe it was the reason Kakashi had agreed to following him or maybe it was the chance to get out but, regardless, Kakashi had signed himself up for something he knew little to nothing about, all because one little brunet had charmed him to compliancy.

Kakashi looked at the young man and noticed his hair looked even longer when it was down, it only barely went passed his shoulders. His chestnut hair looked silky smooth and his new change of clothes were at least three sizes bigger. The towel was sitting on his head and Kakashi grabbed it before it had the chance to fall off. The werewolf was too absorbed in his food to even notice. He threw it in the general direction of the bathroom and plopped down on the bed next to his companion.

"So... ?" Iruka prodded as he practically licked the plate clean.

"Everything, if possible," Kakashi explained, almost reading Iruka’s thoughts, as he took the plate from Iruka and set it down on the nightstand.

"Well, that's a lot of stuff to tell." With his legs still crossed, Iruka fell back onto the bed and laced his hands behind his head. "Two centuries ago, a group called ANBU was formed. The group was composed of anyone who wanted peace between the two sides after the wars began. Anbu brought together all the refugees werewolves to a safe place that was hidden from opposing forces. Vampires, shifters and humans too began seeking refuge with ANBU. Sooner or later, it turned into an incognito city where all sides lived in harmony. They still do."

Kakashi was astounded by all this new knowledge and felt a pinch of doubt that Iruka was telling the truth, “is there really such a city?"

"Yep, actually there are other cities in other parts of the world." Iruka said, his chest swelling with pride as he sat up.

"And this city is our destination?" Kakashi asked.

Iruka nodded and jumped of the bed to race to the bathroom. He came out with his old pair of jeans from which he pulled out a folder paper. He dropped the jeans and unfolded the paper to reveal that it was a map of their current location with a red pen hooked to the edge as he set it down on the bed in front of Kakashi. He said, "Now, to the issue of getting out. I already marked on this map the location of some reported cameras around town. If you could mark down the rest of them, then maybe we could pre-mark a path to get out through-”

Iruka's hands dropped to his sides when he realized what they were doing. Afraid he was getting ahead of himself, he looked at Kakashi. "You don't have to come with me."

Kakashi had been studying the map but was now no longer looking at it. Maybe he was staring in its direction but his mind was elsewhere. He turned to Iruka after a long thought. He held his hand out for the red pen Iruka had pulled off the map. "I want to."

Iruka slowly held out the pen to him and gently pressed it into the vampire's hand. Their hands accidentally came into contact and it sent fire to tingle Iruka’s skin, the werewolf retracting his hand quickly with a flushed face.

Kakashi took the pen with certainty and drew little squares on all the points where cameras or bugs could be found, astounded to realize that there weren’t as many as he’d previously believed. He looked back to Iruka to find that the werewolf was no longer next to the bed but was leaning against the window sill, his legs outstretched before him and ankles crossed as his hands gripped the sill.

The vampire set down the map and pen and made his way over to the werewolf. Kakashi drew away from the bed and blinked when he realized he’d closed the distance between them to mere inches with his hands settled next to the brunet’s hips and his long legs framing Iruka’s. Their noses were drawn even closer when the werewolf looked up in surprise. The vampire spoke clearly and with persistence in his tone as he found his lips moving without his consent. "I want to come with you, Iruka.”

Iruka looked down as he took a deep breath and breathed out slowly, trying to control himself from spontaneously combusting. He glanced back up at Kakashi, "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"I've never been more certain in my life."

"Okay," Kakashi backed off as Iruka stood and they made their way to the red marked map.

XxX

They were going to leave at sunrise. They had planned their route and packed a little pack full with supplies such as water, money, the map, a change of clothes and food.

Iruka's hair was tied high on his head and a few stay strands fell behind his ears. Kakashi had changed into a pair of jeans, a blue shirt and a plain sweater as Iruka took upon his old sweater from before and went downstairs to grab his black boots the vampire had taken off the werewolf when he brought him unconscious into the house.

He was tying them up when Kakashi came down carrying two leather jackets in his arms.

He held up one and said, "This might fit you."

Seeing as it was too small for himself, Kakashi guessed it would fit the small, young man. Iruka took it and slipped it on. It fit like a glove. Kakashi pulled on his own shoes and it was time to set out.


	4. Chapter 3

They set out just as the sun rose. The hoods of their sweaters were up and Iruka was carrying the backpack. Kakashi took the lead since he knew these streets far better than Iruka did.

They walked casually side by side, their arms brushing every once in a while, sending electricity through each other's bodies even though they hardly even touched.

As they got further and further from the city, the more relaxed they became. There was hardly anyone on the streets but they kept their hoods up, just in case. The got to the forest and Iruka dropped his hood. He turned to Kakashi and smiled warmly, "we're out."

Kakashi took a deep breath of the cool spring air and pulled his own hood down. As they went the trees got denser and the bird songs could be heard. They kept going until the sun peaked in the sky at its highest and rested for lunch before setting off again.

                X-X-X

"So, do you have any friends?" Iruka asked from his spot in the sun.

"A couple good ones. A lot of people owe me favors. My turn. What do you do for a living?" Kakashi laid down next to Iruka.

"I'm a teacher."

Kakashi laughed and sat up to look at the young man beside him. "Really? I can see you doing that."

The werewolf nodded and the vampire sat back down, "yep I'm a certified teacher."

"Cool. What do you teach?"

"It’s my turn. What's your favorite color?" It went on like this for a couple of minutes till Iruka sat up and stated that they should keep going.

They continued on for a couple of hours until diner came around and they reached a small village. Iruka concealed his nature with ease as they payed for a night at an inn and had a small supper before dozing off.

The next morning they set off again after eating a light breakfast. It was before the break of dawn and the air was slightly cooler than yesterday. It began raining after two hours of walking and they were forced to huddle together, hoods up, underneath a nearby tree to keep warm.

 

"So, how much time does this cut out of our schedule?" Kakashi asked after they had been there for more than twenty minutes. He shivered and snuggled closer to the warmth the werewolf seemed to be emanating.

"Well, we were going to be there by tomorrow afternoon but if it keeps up like this we might make it before supper." Iruka shifted closer to the vampire as he spoke.

The rain finally let up half an hour later and the duo set off again. They didn't stop for lunch but ate as they walked. Thankfully it didn't rain again but the air got colder as dinnertime approached and the pair stopped to make a fire for the night seeing as there was no upcoming towns or villages for miles.

Kakashi came out of the shadows with his arms piled high with twigs and branches but stopped when he saw Iruka sitting by the fire. The younger man was absolutely gorgeous and was oblivious to that fact. He never saw how the firelight played off his face, highlighting his cheeks and brightening those sparkling brown eyes of his. Kakashi stared for a moment but shook himself out of his trance when the object of his eye turned to him and smiled.

"Great, you brought more wood." he set the wood down in the little pile they had made that was ever decreasing in size and plopped himself down next to his traveling buddy. "It’s nice out."

"Yeah," Iruka looked up at the stars and fell back into the grass.

Kakashi did the same and laced his hands together behind his head. He suddenly turned his head and rolled onto his side to face Iruka. "Do you think I'll fit in?"

"Huh?" Iruka looked at him confused at first but his expression changed to one of understanding fast.

"Oh, yeah, of course they'll like you, Kakashi. So far, I’ve gathered that you're a good person and you're really smart too."

"Oh, really?" the vampire grinned and stuck his elbow out as he placed his head on his palm. "Tell me more about myself."

Iruka chuckled and continued, "You’re strong and you have the weirdest way of looking at the world. You can be sneaky too and I’ve also noticed that you can be a bit of a pervert too."

"Only around you," the vampire leered.

The werewolf shook his head and went on, choosing to ignore the flush that was creeping up his cheeks. "But I bet you could be really sweet if you wanted to. You have a nice smile but you don't show it often and your laugh is even rarer to hear.”

The vampire's face went still and he looked at the young man. "You really think that?"

Iruka glanced at Kakashi but the glance turned into something longer. He became enthralled in the older man's normally hard eyes which had become soft and warm as they looked at him. Then he realized just what he’d been saying and shrunk internally.

He suddenly blushed and sat up, looking away from the handsome man. The vampire's heart stopped beating at the sight of those smooth cheeks flushing red, eyes unable to look away.

Iruka quickly scrambled to his feet and muttered something resembling 'we need more wood' as he stalked into the forest.

The confused man was left on the grass with his heart going into cardiac arrest and his legs felt as if they had been replaced with Jell-O. He felt dizzy and he couldn't think straight. He found himself slowly falling, he didn't know into what but it felt... Good. He felt his heart swell and finally go back to normal but he couldn't shake the feeling his heart gave him. Was he... In love?

X-X-X

He didn't know what had come over him. His mouth just moved before he had any say in what came out. Kakashi was just so... So... He didn't know how Kakashi made him feel. His heart tripped and rolled when he was around. He felt like love-sick teen. Maybe that's what he was.

He couldn't think right and he did odd things when Kakashi was around. He wanted to see him always smiling. He had looked so... Dead when they had first met but now he was like a ray of sunshine and Iruka wanted to bask in his glow. He wanted to make Kakashi happy. He wanted to fall in love with him. Was it because he was falling for him?

No. He had to stop this. He couldn’t do this to himself again. He told himself that he couldn’t let himself get enthralled to easily but his body was tingling all over and his heart just didn’t know what to follow.

He kicked at the ground and sat down on a stump. He sighed. Why couldn’t his heart give him a direct answer?

He got up again and started to pick up the dead branches on the forest floor. Maybe it would help take his mind off of Kakashi.

It didn't. He had enough branches in his arms to last them maybe a night and a half and when he got back he was greeted with the sweetest sight ever.

Kakashi had curled himself up on his side and was now sleeping peacefully. His face looked so angelic, as if he was having the nicest dream ever. Iruka felt lightheaded just looking at him.

He quietly set the branches down into the little pile and carefully, as to not wake Kakashi up, crawled to his spot besides the man, drifting off into sleep almost instantly.

X-X-X

Kakashi didn't want to wake up. He was having the most wonderful dream. He couldn't remember what it had been about, though. It had something to do with cheese. Oh, well.

The sun shone through the trees, signaling morning. He yawned loudly and stretched himself out like a cat, jumping in surprise when he heard movement next to him. He cautiously turned an eye and looked to the source of the noise.

His muscles instantly turned into something resembling soup when he saw Iruka curled up next to him, sleeping. The werewolf's whole face was lax and his chest rose and fell softly. His mouth was open only slightly so Kakashi could barely see the bottom of his two front teeth. In Kakashi's eyes, it was the cutest look he had ever seen on the young man. Well, maybe second to that blush, of course.

A smile drew itself on his face at the sweetly slumbering teen. But the feeling of awe soon faded as his insides lurched and began to burn with need. He could smell the werewolf's blood even though he couldn’t see it. It smelled so good, so appetizing. It smelled delicious like a feast would to a starving man or how spring smelled right after winter. His nose was hooked and he wanted more of it; he wanted it all.

His body drew itself forward and moved but he couldn't control it. His mouth slid open, revealing his pearly white incisors which had grown twice in length. He only became in control of his body when he was kneeled over Iruka, his eyes wide and staring at the neck that was open and ready for the taking.

He pulled back and stood up, his chest heaving and his eyes wide with horror at what he had almost done. He backed himself into a tree and slid down its trunk. The last time he had any blood to drink was.... More than five days ago and it had been a poor thin rabbit that was dying of hunger. Iruka, though, was no hungry rabbit. No, he was a werewolf whose blood smelled so rich; the blood of a vampire’s dream.

Kakashi shook his head and tried to think of something else but Iruka looked and smelled so appealing; it wouldn't hurt if he took a little sip. He growled, clasping his hand over his mouth and shutting his eyes as he slammed his head against the tree behind him. That had been loud. Loud enough to wake Iruka, that is.

The werewolf's nose wrinkled and his eyes opened, blinking away the fuzziness of sleep. He turned to the source of the noise and saw Kakashi, his face twisted in a grimace of pain.

“Kakashi?” Iruka sat up and crawled towards the hungry vampire on his hands and knees. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"It’s nothing," Kakashi strained through his hand as he felt his blood rush to his head. He pulled his hand off his mouth to speak clearly. "I just... Haven’t had anything to drink in a while."

Iruka's eyes widened as he saw the sharp fangs protruding from the other's mouth. Kakashi slapped his hand over his mouth again and stood up, stumbling backwards into the forest. He turned and ran.

X-X-X

Iruka was poking the fire which had turned into a steaming pile of embers during the night when Kakashi came back. It was almost noon. Iruka glanced his way, "Hey,"

"Hey," Kakashi greeted him back. The vampire could think straight that now that his belly was full, thanks to the deer that had dared to cross his path. Iruka still looked as beautiful as ever but now he didn't look so.... Edible.

"So, did you had enough?" Iruka asked Kakashi, his eyes never leaving the embers. He knew how it was hard to control the urge and he felt thankful Kakashi had.

"Yeah, I'll probably be good for another week." Kakashi grabbed Iruka's backpack and handed it to him.

"That’s good," Iruka took the bag and smiled at him gratefully.

They put out the fire and refilled their bottles in the nearby stream before they set out.

The sun was shining brightly and the heat made them unzipped their coats and sweaters. They reach the last leg of their journey at sundown.

"Whoa," Kakashi said as the beach shore came into view as the sun began setting below the horizon. "Do you get this view at the city?"

"Only outside the city," Iruka said with a sigh. They walked down the shore for some time and the plains along the shore turned into hills which, in turn, became cliffs. The shore got smaller and smaller as the cliffs to their right got taller. There was only a foot or so of sand left when Iruka stopped at a crevice in the cliff. Kakashi almost bumped into him when he abruptly stopped.

"Here we are," Iruka said softly. He squeezed into the crack that was only big enough for a single file. "Stay close,"

And Kakashi uncertainly followed Iruka into the dark crack in the cliff. The crevasse was tight and the air became thin and Kakashi struggled to breathe. It felt as though the walls were squishing him and he couldn’t do anything but let them swallow him. He panicked even more when Iruka suddenly disappeared around a corner. He tried speed up and in a rattled voice called out, "Iruka!?"

Iruka appeared in Kakashi's view again and said, "We're almost there."

The werewolf saw the uncertainty in Kakashi's eyes so he squeezed back to where Kakashi came to a standstill and took a hold of the vampire's hand when he saw Kakashi’s shaking figure and ragged breath. "Just a little further, okay?"

Kakashi took a big gulp of air and nodded, holding Iruka's hand in a tight grip. He was still hesitant but for some reason he felt lighter than before. They continued on for only minutes until Iruka pulled Kakashi out into an open area and let go of his hand.

Kakashi was amazed. The city was huge and encircled by mountains, like a bowl, and its lights glittered at the short distance. The houses were close and numerous, a large grassy area in the middle. Spaced within the houses were many official looking buildings like a hospital, fire department, library and town hall with tall fence enclosing and protecting the city. The traveling duo stood before the entrance gate which was wide open revealing stalls that sold assorted goods like, clothes, fruits, veggies, jewelry and other things. Two guards towers sat on either side main gate the circles of light barely feet away.

Kakashi didn't know what hit him.

Or almost hit him, in this case. He heard a swishing noise fly past his ear and Iruka was suddenly in front of him, dagger in hand, deflecting the two very sharp looking objects that probably would have paralyzed him if Iruka hadn't been there. Two dark figures dropped to the ground from the guard towers with swords ready and aimed at their victims.

Kakashi, confused, took a step back just as Iruka stepped forward and said to the guards, "Stand down."

One seemed confused, while the other narrowed his eyes. The confused one held his sword lower and demanded, "And you are?"


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gods.... Um..... Yeah, I'm kind of embarrassed about how these first few chapter were written. I was a lot less experienced when I first wrote this (this was my first fic, after all) so please bear with me as I try and make good with what I have and I promise that the later chapters will get better since they were written not too long ago....yah

 

"Who are you?"

Iruka took another step forward, into the light this time. He could see Iruka smirking, "what? You don't remember you own captain?"

The guards' jaws dropped as did their swords and their faces split into wide smiles, "Iruka!!!"

They sheathed their swords and jumped on Iruka and hugged him, jabbering their mouths off about random things and asking questions like 'where have you been?' 'Are you alright?' 'Who’s the stiff?'

Iruka laughed and pushed them off him. "It’s good to see you guys too."

He turned to Kakashi and motioned to the guards who were, apparently, knew him. "Guys this is Kakashi. Kakashi, these nuts are-"

One of them made his way passed Iruka and stuck his hand out to Kakashi. He had spiky black hair and a bandage going over his nose. In the light, he couldn't see his eyes but Kakashi guessed they were a dark color. "Kotetsu, Pleasure to meet you Kakashi."

"Uh," Kakashi stared at the hand for a while but shook it cautiously. Kotetsu laughed and slapped the vampire on the back. The other came up too and introduced himself. "Hi. I'm Izumo. Nice to meet you Kakashi."

They shook hands and Kakashi smiled at the brown-haired man. Izumo grinned back and Kakashi got a glimpse of the man's sharp fangs.

Kotetsu grabbed Izumo's hand and said, "Well, we'll be seeing you two around, okay?"

"Have you finished guard duty, yet?" Iruka asked his friends.

"Oh, yeah, we just finished. We're going to go get something to eat now. You wanna come along?" Izumo asked.

"Um," Iruka looked to Kakashi and back to his friends. "No, Kakashi and I have had a long day and I think we should head to my place."

Kotetsu and Izumo smiled and nodded. "We’ll see you tomorrow, then. Later!"

The pair left towards the city, hands intertwined. Iruka looked back at Kakashi, a happy smile on his face at being back home.

"Are they like a...?" Kakashi hadn't missed the way the pairs' hands were clasped together.

Iruka grinned, saying, "Yeah, they've been together for almost ever but they really started going out around fifty years ago."

"Ah, and Izumo is...?"

"Yes, he is a vampire. Kotetsu is a werewolf." Iruka said casually as he started towards the city. It made Kakashi feel better to know that he wasn't the only vampire here. He stood there for a while then scrambled after the younger man.

"Oh, cool." He said as he caught up to Iruka. If vampire-werewolf couples could prosper here then maybe.... No! He didn't think that way about Iruka, did he? If he did feel that way he would have to ask him out first and that was only if Iruka like him back. Well, it was a possibility since what happened last night.

Wait a minute.... Did they call him Captain? Kakashi whipped his head to look at Iruka. It couldn't be. Iruka looked too innocent to be a captain. Was he?

"Uh, Iruka?" Kakashi started, "why did they call you Captain?"

"Huh?" Iruka looked up to him confused then recognition sparked in his eyes. "Oh, that. Well, you see, it's because that's what I am. A captain, that is."

"A captain of what? A ship?" Kakashi inquired his curiosity climbing. Iruka looked away and walked faster down the street which was becoming more residential with every step. Kakashi had to jog to keep up with him.

"Can we talk about this once you get settled at my place? I mean, we're in public and I don't like talking about it outside among the people." Kakashi was confused. Was he so high on the chain-of-authority that he was in danger in his own city? Was he part of ANBU?

Their walk took them to the center of the city, where the houses were squished together and there were little to no yards in front of the houses. They stopped in front of one of the condos without a front yard was painted a reddish-burgundy and had white trimmings. In other words, it looked cosy. Iruka sighed, "Home, sweet home."

Iruka unlocked the front door and flicked on a light as he led Kakashi inside. They stepped into a small living room that opened out into tiny kitchen with a round table. A backdoor led to what looked like a small yard out back and two staircases on the left wall lead to the second floor and what appeared to be a basement. The couch was a dark green, the walls a warm tan color and the russet coffee table matched the TV stand on the opposite wall of the stairs.

Iruka strode to the couch and tossed the backpack on it as he turned back to face Kakashi who had closed the door behind him. Kakashi stood awkwardly for a moment, gazing at the home before Iruka chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head, a blush rushing to his cheeks. He said, "It’s not much but its home. I haven't been here for a while and didn't have time to clean up so..."

 

"No," Kakashi said smiling as he shrugged of his jacket and secured it to one of the hooks on the wall next to the door. He slipped his hands into his pockets and surveyed the home with growing interest. "I like it, it's nice; cosy."

"Eh, thanks." Iruka said as his cheeks flames an even more bright red. Kakashi happened to notice that and engraved the sight into his mind. That had to be one of the cutest sights in the world and he wondered if all werewolves looked this cute when blushing.

Iruka pulled off his coat and threw it on the couch as he headed for the kitchen saying, "would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee, hot cocoa, water?"

Kakashi stepped further into Iruka's house, closer to the couch he said, "No thanks; I’m good."

"Okay then," Iruka began going throughout the kitchenette, pouring himself a drink as Kakashi stood there awkwardly for a few seconds his eyes on his boots that he had yet to take off. Iruka didn't take off his, so, why should he? That same werewolf had finished rummaging around and made his way to Kakashi. "Well, I should get us ready for bed. I'm pretty tired."

Kakashi noticed Iruka's bag next to him sitting on the couch. He reached down to grab it at the same time Iruka did. Even if their hands brushed more than once over the course of their journey here, it still sent his fingers tingling and his heart beating a million miles per hour, if not strengthened the feeling.

Iruka's blush lit up again and he quickly snatched the bag off the sofa. "I'll go get your room ready."

With that, the werewolf bolted up the stairs, leaving Kakashi staring at empty space slightly confused. Did Iruka feel the same way he did? If he didn't, he wouldn't have reacted that way, right?

A knock at the door shook Kakashi out of his musings. He debated on whether he should answer it or not, considering it wasn't his house. He decided he would as the person knocked again. He swung open the door to reveal what appeared to be a werewolf. They had on a white porcelain mask with red markings on it making it look like a hawk. Their pants and shirt were both black and the plates that covered their chest, calves, feet, and fronts of their forearms were a pale lavender color. A deep, male voice said, "Delivery for Umino Iruka."

The men held out a cream-colored envelop. Kakashi looked the man up and down and he could see a gray wolf tail peeking out behind him. Kakashi took the letter cautiously and told him, "I'll be sure this gets to him."

The werewolf bowed his head and in the blink of an eye he was gone. Kakashi closed the door slowly and looked over the letter, his mind riddled with questions. Why didn't Iruka show his tail? Why would he be receiving official-looking letters? Who was that man and why was he dressed like that?

Kakashi sighed and shook his head. He would ask Iruka; he didn't want to jump to the wrong conclusion.

He climbed the stairs and found a hallway leading to a window sill with three doors lining the way, two on one wall and one on the other. They were all open and he could hear Iruka moving around in the last door to the right. The first one to the right was what looked like a guest bedroom since there were no personal belongings in sight other than a bed and a wood dresser. The one to the left looked like Iruka's room. It was furnished like the last except that it had a desk sitting underneath the window that over looked the yard.

Iruka came out of the last room dressed in a black t-shirt with matching shorts and pointed to the guest room. "You’ll be sleeping in there tonight and the bathroom is over here."

He indicated the door he had come out of and went to his room to pull out a similar pair of shorts and t-shirt out of his, holding them out to Kakashi, saying, "These should tide you over as pajamas until we go shopping for clothes."

Kakashi handed him the letter. "Someone delivered this and asked me to give it to you."

"Oh," Iruka traded the letter for the clothes. He slowly turned away from Kakashi and over to the desk as he opened the envelop pulling out a crisp-white and freshly-inked piece of paper. He read diligently as he back against the desk, his face twisting into a grimace. He muttered to himself as he turned his furrowed eyebrows to the window behind him, “they jump on me as soon as I get back.”

“Iruka?” Kakashi raised an inquiring, silver eyebrow at his seemingly distraught friend. Iruka turned back to him and sighed as his guilty gaze shifted to the floor.

“I have a meeting to go to tomorrow.” He stated while placing the letter on the desk and bringing his hands together to fiddle with his nails nervously. “It’s pretty important and I would be very honored if you would accompany seeing as you need to register anyway.”

“Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt. I still have a lot of questions but…” Kakashi absentmindedly scratched the back of his head as he recalculated his sentence but dropped it moments after when he recalled how much Iruka trusted him. Kakashi trusted the young man in return. It wouldn’t hurt to give the werewolf a grace period. “I guess they can wait.”

Iruka’s head snapped back up and a warm smile found its way to his lips when he found Kakashi wasn’t lying. “I promise you’ll understand more later on but we have a big day tomorrow. You’ll need your strength.”

Kakashi nodded and said, “Of course.”

“Good,” Iruka nodded and pushed off from the desk, following Kakashi as the vampire went to his room. Kakashi turned to Iruka as he set his clothes on the bed, the brunet leaning against the doorway’s edge. “We’ll leave at around nine in the morning.”

The werewolf lingered by the door before reluctantly saying softly, “Goodnight.”

Kakashi walked to the door, leaned close to the shorter, younger man so that his mouth was next to his ear and whispered in an even softer tone, “goodnight, Iruka.”  

He could practically hear Iruka’s heart skip a beat along with his own at the close contact and Iruka's breath on his ear coming in shallow puffs. He pulled back and felt his lips twitch upward as he watched the other’s face light up. Their eyes met and they both felt the lightning pass through the air.

“Um… Yes; goodnight, Kakashi.” Iruka stuttered before he bolted to his own room and quickly shut the door.

Kakashi slowly shut his own door and changed into Iruka's pajamas. He flopped down onto the bed on his back. The smell of the werewolf lingering on the clothes and he deliberately breathed it in again. He sighed in delight; his eyes went wide with realization at what was happening. _Oh, did I just do that?_

He sat back up and crawled underneath the blanket. He dismissed the action as sleep-influenced and drifted off to sleep with the image of Iruka's blushing face bringing a serene smile to his own.


	6. Chapter 5

Kakashi bolted up in bed. Something had woken him, a loud noise. He shot out of bed and stealthily opened the door to peer out into the sun-lit hall. Iruka's door was ajar slightly and Kakashi could see that his host was not in his bed. A groan came from the direction on the stairs and Kakashi slipped out of his room and padded to the top of the staircase.

He found Iruka on his back sprawled at the foot of the stairs with a wobbly grin on his dazed looking face and his unbound hair fanned out across the floor.

"Iruka?" Kakashi raised a brow and tilted his head slightly to the side in a questioning manner. Kakashi was confused. Weren't werewolves supposed to have great balance and agility?

Iruka, on the other hand, had a major headache and the world was spinning around his head. He hadn't meant to trip, it was just that his foot got in front of his other foot while he was walking and he just so happened to be at the top of the stairs. It was just even more embarrassing that he woke Kakashi up in the process.

When Kakashi spoke, Iruka sprang up and straightened himself up. He laughed nervously as the blush-monster crept back up his face and his hand went to scratch nervously at the back of his head. "Oh, h-hi k-Kakashi. I-I, um, d-did you have a g-good sleep."

Kakashi blinked and tilted his head back into its normal position. "Oh, yeah, slept like a log."

Iruka grinned happily, "That’s good."

Iruka's face went serious and his right elbow went in his left hand as his right hand scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I know I forgot something. I just can't remember what it was."

Iruka scampered to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee from his automatic brewer as Kakashi went back to his room to change. He was planning on changing into yesterday's clothes but paused when he spied through Iruka's slightly open door the backpack he and Iruka had used for their journey sitting on the floor next to Iruka's bed. Kakashi went to the bag and scooped it up onto the bed. He pulled it open and rummaged through it till he successfully pulled out a change of clothes he hadn't worn on the way there. The dash to the bathroom after he zipped the bag back up was very short.

Iruka stared lazily out the kitchen window into his bright, sunny backyard. He sighed in defeat. He knew he was forgetting something important and it was beginning to get to him. He retraced his steps of that morning in his head. Getting out of bed, stumbling half-blindly to the bathroom through a sleep-induced haze, falling down the stairs like an idiot, feeling ten times worse when he found he woke his handsome guest.

Iruka sipped the bitter liquid in his cup with despair.

X-X-X

Kakashi was dressed and brushing his teeth with the brand-new toothbrush he found in the cupboard bellow this sink of the small bathroom. He had just spit when he heard a shriek come from downstairs. He wiped his mouth on the towel lying on the towel rack and listened as feet pounded up the stairs. Peering out of the bathroom, he saw Iruka dash from the stairs to his room. Kakashi smiled slightly, the brunette had finally remembered the meeting. The amused man chuckled as he leaned his weight against Iruka's doorframe just as the werewolf was pulling a pair of converse out from underneath his bed.

Seeing Kakashi had his black boots on already, Iruka grimaced to himself as he hopped on one foot to tug on the sneakers. The shoe was being laced as Iruka said, "Let me guess. You remembered and you waited until I did?"

Kakashi thought about it for a moment as he tapped his chin in a thoughtful manner. He nodded to himself and said simply, "yup."

Iruka finished lacing his shoe and sighed as he straightened himself up. "And you didn't bother to remind me?"

Kakashi shook his head with a grin on his face. "Nope, I knew you would remember eventually."

Iruka sighed louder and brushed passed Kakashi. They both jogged down the stairs and slipped into their jackets.

X-X-X

"So, how important is this meeting?" Kakashi questioned Iruka as they travelled at a fast walk through the city. They were moving fast and Iruka wasn't worried when he found it was only eight-thirty-nine as they passed the clock tower at the center of the city (he hadn't bothered to check his bedside clock because he thought it would have been well past ten what with how late they were up last night).

Kakashi watched the world around him with interest. People were waking up and heading to work or setting up their stores for the day, just like an average city would. Some groups of people chatting. Some of them were normal-looking humans while others showed of their fangs, tails or inhumanly beauty with pride. Proud to be who they were and not afraid to show it off. No species were kept hidden and it was clearly etched on their faces they were happy. He could faintly remember a time before the wars began when people got along so well. Kakashi wondered to himself if he could ever be so settled here. He wanted to be a part of this. He felt ... At home.

Kakashi glanced to his side and saw Iruka peering at him with an analyzing look in his eyes. Kakashi felt his eyebrow raise and Iruka just grinned at him. The brunette's chest swelled with pride as the man next to him admired his surroundings.

The walk lead them to the eastern edge. The walk had been pleasant and the springtime air only helped to brighten everyone's moods. Kakashi noticed a number of people had waved or greeted his guide and Iruka had smiled and waved back to all of them occasionally calling out a "hey! How's (insert name here)? I hope they get better!" or a “good-morning Mr. /Ms.  (Insert name here)." This had happened more than once and the amount of people who seemed to know Iruka astounded Kakashi. The younger man was so popular and everyone seemed to respect him.

Kakashi's musings were cut short when they arrive to the city's outer gate. This side of the gate that encircled the city was inlayed into the rock face behind it and long stone steps led into a brightly-lit hall that had been carved into the rock itself. Kakashi hesitated at the first step to gaze into the long, wide tunnel. He gathered up his nerves and followed Iruka who had paused at the top step to wait for him. Kakashi climbed the dozen or so steps to Iruka's side who gave him a reassuring smile. They both stepped into the long stretch of hall and no sooner a woman appeared at the end of the tunnel. She was trotting towards them at a leisurely pace and Iruka began talking to Kakashi without looking at him, "I'm going to have to ask you to go with her, okay?"

Kakashi looked to the brunette and tried to protest but the werewolf cut him off by grabbing his arm and halting their walk. Iruka looked up to him and tried to reassure the vampire. "Kakashi, she's my friend and I've known her for a long time. I trust her with my life and she'll take you good care of you. I'm not allowed to bring guests to this meeting and you need to register anyway. She'll take you to the registry and everywhere you need to go, okay?"

Kakashi still felt uncertain. "Do you trust me?"

Kakashi looked away. "Iruka, it’s not-"

"Do you trust me?" Iruka repeated as he gave his arm a squeeze that made Kakashi look back into those pleading, amber orbs and sighed in defeat. The woman was only a few yards away and she called out with open arms, "Hey! If it isn't my favorite dolphin-boy!"

Iruka smiled to the woman and hugged the woman when she came up to him, "Anko, I thought I told you to stop calling me that."

"You did," she said with a teasing grin as she let go of the young man and flashed him a peace sign. "But I don't listen."

x-x-x

Anko, as Iruka called her, was a purple-haired woman with a mischievous air about her and eyes that were almost black. Kakashi was thankful that he had ruffled his hair that morning in a certain way that covered his left eye because this woman would have probably poked him in the eye and asked 'what's wrong with it?'.

"So," Anko turned to Kakashi and analyzed him with her eyes, starting with his boots and making her way up. "You’re the guy little Ruru brought back, eh?"

"News travels fast?" Kakashi asked her and she nodded. "Then yes. My name's Kakashi."

He put out his hand and the purple-haired lady gave it a firm shake with a grin still plastered on the face. “Name’s Anko. Pleasure to meet you, Kakashi."

They began walking again and Iruka and Anko conversed lightly as they approached a turn in the hall.

"Anko, I was wondering if you would take Kakashi to the registry. I wanted to take him myself but I have an unexpected meeting to attend." Iruka asked her and her gaze turned back to Kakashi again.

"He hasn't registered yet?"

"We just got back last night."

"Wow, news really does travel fast."

"Yeah, anyway, once he's registered could you take him to the conference room?"

"I'd be happy to."

The trio turned the corner and to find another torch-lit hall, larger than the last, with tall doors lining the left side. They stopped at the fifth door and Iruka bid them farewell as he made his way down the rest of the corridor until he turned another corner.

Anko pushed open the large doors and led Kakashi into the room.

The walls were mostly covered from head to toe with filling cabinets and when they weren't some printers and photocopiers were lined against the walls. There were tables lined up in rows, some neat some disorganized, with people working on paper or with their laptops/pcs. In other words, it looked like an underground office.

Anko winded passed some desks and stopped in front of a desk where a familiar face looked up from where they were sitting. They smiled when Kakashi came to stand b Anko. "Hey, Kakashi!"

"Hey there, Izumo." Kakashi smiled him and the vampire grinned in return.

"You two know each other?" Anko asked.

"Yeah, Ko and I were on gate duty last night when he and Iruka showed up. Sorry about the attacking you thing. You know, guard duty and all." Izumo put on an apologetic face and Kakashi shrugged.

"It’s okay."

"So, you're here for registry?"

"I guess so,"

"Okay," Izumo went to the nearest cabinet and pulled open the bottom drawer. He went took out a folder from one of the many and brought it back to Kakashi. "Most of the things you have to fill out are just for medical stuff while some other things go into these confidentiality folders."

Kakashi nodded and sat at the desk in the chair opposite Izumo and took the pen that was waiting for him on the table. Most were typical questions like age, birthdate, hair and eye color, hometown, father, mother, etc.

He answered as much as he could and he handed the folder back to Izumo who smiled and thanked him. Kakashi and Anko made their exit.

“So, what do we do now?” Kakashi asked Anko as she shut the door to the office. She started to walk away in the direction Iruka had until she noticed Kakashi wasn’t following and motioned him forward. He scurried up to her and trailed behind her as she turned the corner.

She pulled him by his collar to the wall and started to whisper in his ear after they rounded the corner. “I am going to bring you to a room that is confidential, okay? You can’t talk in this room, you can’t make noise in this room, and you can’t even sneeze in this room. Got it?”

“It’s the conference room, right?” Kakashi asked.

“Yes, and you’re not supposed to be in there, alright?”

“Why not?”

“Because-because… you’ll see!” she whispered out in an irritated voice. She grabbed his sleeve and dragged him down the hall until she stopped at a large door with the word _‘Libert_ _é’_ carved into the stone above it. Anko’s voice was low and had a touch of sadness in it when she spoke. “Iruka’s in there.”

Kakashi saw that her face had grown dark and she took his sleeve again, gentler this time, and led him to a smaller, normal sized door a couple of feet away the large one. She pulled out a key loop from her pocket and unlocked the door, turning to Kakashi and putting a finger to her lips before they both stepped carefully into a tiny, unlit hall. The hall was long enough to fit twenty people at most and it would have been pitch black if it not for the air ducts at knee height that looked upon a room that was emitting different colors of light. Kakashi could hear noises coming from the grates and he knelt in front of one, as did Anko.

He saw Iruka, who was sitting in what looked to be an uncomfortable-looking chair. Kakashi noticed something he hadn’t seen on Iruka before; his ears and tail. Both his tail and ears were midnight black and his fur looked silky soft. His tail peeked out between the slats in the chair and his ears were sitting snugly on top of his head, the brown of his hair melting into the black where his ears were. His hair was no longer in a ponytail but more of a bun near the top of his head and his bangs were pinned back on the side of his head with what looked like brown bobby-pins. In Kakashi’s eyes, Iruka looked very nice.

 He was facing five screens, each two feet long and high, which showed a different person on each monitor, a table in front of him. The man in the top right corner had a big nose and he looked very old (perhaps in his late 70th century), the woman on the next monitor had red hair that covered most of her face. The muscular man on the top left had light blond hair and dark skin, the two men on the bottom monitors both had light skin but the one on the left was older and his hair was graying while the one on the right had hair that was a fair brown. They all seemed to have authority wrapped around their pinky fingers.

They all seemed to be angry and frustrated. Iruka was looking pretty pissed himself. Mr. Muscles and Big-Nose were yelling incomprehensible nonsense at each other while the woman with the long hair was looking bored with her face in a dainty palm and was trying (not very hard) to stop the fight. The man with the brown hair was fighting against the elder one next to him for Iruka's attention.

Kakashi focused his attention on the young man sitting in the wooden chair in front of him. Iruka’s hand was gripping the chair’s arms and his fingers were beginning to turn white with strain. His mouth was pulled into a taught line and his brows were pulled together in annoyance.

“Oh, damn.” Kakashi heard Anko whisper softly. He turned to her and gave her a questioning look. Anko didn’t look at him but she sensed his eyes on her. As she spoke in a quiet voice she started to bring her hands to her head. “Iruka is so pissed right now; I think he’s going to explode. Cover your ears.”

Kakashi didn’t have time to cover his ears because Iruka suddenly stood up with more than he had without his tail and ears and slammed his hands down flat on the surface of the table in front of him. He started yelling, “ALRIGHT! EVERY ONE OF YOU SHUT THE F#CK UP BEFORE I RIP OFF ALL OF YOUR TONGUES; STICK THEM ON THE WALL AND CALL THE WHOLE CITY HERE SO THEY CAN TAKE PICTURES AND AUCTION THEM OFF!”

The whole room seemed to freeze; even the men and woman on the monitors stopped mid-yell. Kakashi stared wide eyed as the monitor-people paled and Iruka caught him breath. Iruka had never yelled at him like that and he hoped he would never be in the room when Iruka exploded, much less on the receiving end.

Iruka straightened his shirt and looked calmly to the people who were scared stiff on the screens. His voice was back to normal and looked seemingly fine. “So, would anyone mind telling me what has come of my cities without offending someone else in the process?”


	7. Chapter 6

The whole room was silent as the monitor-people still tries to recover from the shock. Kakashi was pretty shaken himself and his understanding levels had gone from a 10/100 to a 0.2/100. MY cities? What did Iruka mean by that? He owned the cities? No, that was impossible he wouldn't be living in that teeny-tiny apartment, right?

Speak of the devil, Iruka had started to drum his fingers on the table and his face grew dark again. "I'm waiting, please."

The monitor-people sprung to life and scrambled around on their screens. The old man on the bottom left was ready before the others with a sheet of paper in his hands and he started to list out statistics. "Konoha's food supplies are as they have been for a many constant weeks now, enough to feed the people for at least a year. There have been no problem socially; the new community center finally opened and everyone has been using it for group activities, meetings and such. The plans for the spring festival are going smoothly but it could be going at little faster. Our spies have dug up that the vampires haven't found out about us yet. We have some new information regarding the whereabouts and happenings of a small group of shifters and werewolves who have banned together. I plan on immediate action to extract them as they are not too far away from Konoha."

Iruka nodded to himself and sat back down into his chair as he motioned to the monitors. "That’s good to know but the rest is all old news. Does anyone have anything of extreme importance to report to me?"

The men and women on the screens shifted in their seats and Kakashi heard Iruka sigh with frustration. Mr. Muscles spoke up suddenly in his big booming voice, "We have heard that you brought someone back with you from the mission that delayed you from getting back on time, Umino. You didn't tell us that you would be bringing back anyone."

Kakashi's eyes flickered between Iruka and the screens. They were talking about him. News really did travel fast if these people knew about their arrival last night.

Iruka shifted wearily in his seat and bit his lip. Kakashi could tell Iruka was uncomfortable and he wondered why. Iruka brought people here often, right? Then why should they be suspicious? Iruka took a deep breath and said, "Yes, I did bring someone here last night."

"Why did you?" the woman interrogated. "Was it a dire situation? Was someone held at gunpoint?"

"No, no, it was nothing like that." Iruka massaged his temple with a hand; the ones on the screens getting more agitated and narrowed eyes were watching the werewolf's every move sharply.

"Then explain to us the situation that lead you to bring someone into our world without consulting us first." said the brown-haired man on the bottom-right monitor.

"For your information, I don't need the council's permission to extract people who I see fit." Iruka's tone was getting angrier and tension was filling the air fast. Fists were clenching and teeth were grinding against each other. Kakashi even felt his hands ball themselves into fists and he found himself wanting to defend Iruka's judgment. Anko, who he had almost forgotten was there, turned to him and looked at him perplexed. She opened her mouth to speak but Iruka continued to speak on the other side of the metal grid. "And I can tell when I person deserves to have a chance at a better life."

"That doesn't mean he won’t betray us. He’s a trained warrior with many years of working for the Council under his belt. You remember what happened last time." Mr. Big-Nose interjected. "We don't want a repeat of that, Umino. We respect your decisions because we know you want the best for our people and we know you will do what's right because you care for us but we can't afford for you to get distracted again. You are an important part of these cities, Iruka, and we can’t have you getting lost because, if you do, then we are all in deep trouble."

It was all starting to fall into place. Kakashi understood know why Izumo and Kotetsu called Iruka 'captain' and why Iruka seemed to know everyone. He was their leader. He was the one who drove them to where they were trying to get. The one who pulled all the strings. The master in the grand design.

Iruka looked like a kicked puppy, or in this case a werewolf being scolded. His black ears were pulled back, eyes examining the floor as if a new tile had appeared out of nowhere and his lips were pursed tightly.

"So," asked the woman, one of her delicate eye brows were raised in question. "What are you going to do with him?"

"Yes," Mr. Muscles slammed his fist against the desk in front of his which was out of view on the monitor. "Only twenty-five percent of your city is made up of shinobi while Konoha, Kiri, Iwa, Kumo and Suna have twice that amount. You must make him a fighter, Umino. Your city can't afford to take on more civilians, especially ones with such an extensive record."

"Yes, I know that and he will be a shinobi." Iruka interrupted.

Kakashi froze. Iruka was going to make him fight? But he promised Kakashi that he was going to give him a new life, without bloodshed. Had he lying?

Kakashi's nails bit into his palms as he squeezed his hands closed and his jaws set itself in anger. So, Iruka brought him here to make him fight? It all made sense now. How kind the young man was to him. How he let Kakashi sleep in his house. How he didn't kill Kakashi when he had the chance, standing on the chair in the vampire's study the night they first met. The bathroom, the forest, the fissure that led to the city holding Kakashi's hand tenderly to reassure him. It was all a lie to get him to fight in the werewolf's little army against the vampires.

He felt so betrayed.

He bit his lip and stormed past a very confused Anko out of the secret hall filled with darkness out into the light of the larger hall.

X-X-X

"Then our meeting is over because all of our cities are doing fine and I have a meeting to attend." the woman said she moved to turn her connection off. "Kirigakure wishes you all luck."

"So, does Sunagakure," the brunet on the bottom right said as he too closed his connection.

"As does Iwagakure," said the man with the big nose.

"And Kumogakure is done." Mr. Muscles boomed before his screen went black just as the other's had except for the old man on the bottom-left screen.

 The old man looked at Iruka and told him one thing before the screen black out. "Be careful Iruka and don't do anything rash."

Iruka nodded and pushed the red button on the side of the desk that turned off the little webcam on the wall in between the monitors that sent out the video feed to the people who used them. The young man sighed and looked to the ten fake vents that lined the wall. He had heard Kakashi storm out of the little hall hidden there thanks to the ears that sat on the top of his head.

He gathered up all his papers and carefully tucked them away into the messenger bag he had left there the last time he met up with the representatives of the five cities. He clicked the bag shut and pulled it over his head to rest the strap on his shoulder. He walked slowly to the double doors that probably led to a very unhappy Kakashi. He felt guilt well up inside as be reached the doors and paused. He knew he should have asked Kakashi before they left but...

Kakashi would definitely not listen to him now after he heard what was said during that meeting. He wished the elders would keep their noses in their own business. He knew how to run a city and he had been doing it for many years now.

He sighed one last time before drove the door open to his awaiting doom.

He had just shut the door behind him and turned from the door when a fist slammed into his nose. His head snapped back hitting the door behind him and slipped to the floor with his hand covering his face. He felt warm blood trickle from his nose through his fingers and the bones behind his face quickly healing. He opened his eyes and saw he was lying on the floor with Anko on her knees with concern and alarm covering her usually playful features.

Iruka looked further, following the floor that he was now parallel with, and saw Kakashi sweeping away, anger was clear in the way his shoulders were drawn towards his ears. Anko looked to the man walking then to her bleeding leader on the floor in front of her and started to call out Kakashi's name but Iruka stopped her, placing the hand that wasn't staunching his blood flow on her arm. He said softly, "let him go."

X-x-X

Kakashi hugged his knees tighter to his chest and rubbed his head against them, the heat from the sun high in the sky licking at his back and warming the leather of his jacket. It was warm for March.

He pulled his head up, sat it on his knees and watched the water crawl up the sand and roll back down on the shore bellow. He was on top of the cliff that surrounded the city and overlooked the ocean. His original plan was to leave the city but once he found the city gates, his pace slowed when he saw no one to stop him as he passed the entrance. He didn't want to go back through the fissure again because he didn't think he would be able to get through it with having a panic attack in that small space when no one was around to help him so he climbed the rock wall instead. It really gave him a lot of time to think and now it was around noon.

He stretched out his bruised hand and watched as a joint clicked into place when he flexed it. He could see little dots of Iruka's blood on his knuckles and he could feel a little guilt bubble up inside of him.

 He regretted doing it but he had been so mad and the younger man did deserve it if he was going to do what he told those people during the meeting but Iruka had been so sincere when he made all those promises. Kakashi wanted to just go back in time and forget he had even met the brunet. No, that was a lie. He just wished the brunet hadn't lied to him.

He didn't know what to do know. If he went back into the city, there was a good chance that he would be forced to be a pawn in their little game but if he went home....

His options weren't looking good.

A very familiar brown head came into his vision and Kakashi drew his head off his knees and stared down at the werewolf on the sand below. The younger man stared back and waited.

Kakashi hauled himself up, turned his back to Iruka and walked along the crack in the cliff that was the fissure. He looked down into the crack and saw Iruka navigating expertly in between in the two walls back towards the city. Kakashi reached the city before the werewolf and climbed down lithely until his feet hit the ground.

He stepped in front of the opening just as Iruka was about to, placing his hands on either side of the opening. Even in the shadow of the cliff, Kakashi could see the bruise that was turning an alarming black color on the shorter man's face, ranging from between his eyes all the way to his mid-cheek. There were coin-sized blood stains on his shirt and his nose seemed a little off too. Kakashi felt the guilt in his stomach turn into a rock and throw itself at his heart.

Kakashi looked away in shame and asked, "Does it hurt?"

"Not anymore. Fast healing," Iruka said in a voice that was so soft it was almost a whisper. "We need to talk."

"Yeah," Kakashi nodded, dropped his hands and let the man walk out of the crack in the wall to lead him through the village.

They walked for a while until they got to a restaurant and Kakashi remembered that lunchtime had already passed as his stomach gave an indignant growl when he sat down across from Iruka in their booth.

The waiter came shortly after with their menus and he politely gave some suggestions, returning back to the kitchen so they could choose their orders.

Kakashi looked up from the list of deliciously sounding foods to find Iruka wasn't looking at his menu. It was sitting in the same spot the waiter had placed it waiting from the werewolf to read it and pick something. Iruka was staring out the window, daydreaming with a frown on his lips and a forlorn look in his gaze.

"So, is Iruka your real name or did you lie about that too?" Kakashi asked.

Iruka blinked and close his eyes as he massaged his temples. "I never lied to you. I just didn't mention a couple of things."

"You’re going to have to tell me those things but for now how about you tell me the whole story from the starting."

"Kakashi, there are some things I'm not comfortable with telling you know."

"Tell me as much as you can then,"

Iruka looked up and found himself into looking into pleading eyes that craved the truth. He took a deep breath and started, "there are five cities, not including this one, that were founded by ANBU. This one is the newest so it doesn't have a name yet but the rest are called Kumogakure, Sunagakure, Kirigakure, Iwagakure and Konohagakure. Konoha was the first and the rest came together with time. Each city gathers all the werewolves, shifters, humans and vampires in the area and they monitor the vampires in their areas. Each city has a Kage to make decisions for their people and to deal with issues inside and around their city. They were the men and woman you saw on the screens during the meeting. In each village we have people who go out on missions or guard the gates called shinobi. Not all people are shinobi because we give them the choice."

"But the Kages said you were going to force me to be a shinobi; that you weren't going to give me the choice." Kakashi interjected.

Iruka gave Kakashi a small, secretive smirk. "Well, you see, lately they've been telling me to push people more towards becoming a shinobi because this city has the least number of shinobi in it out of them all but I've kinda been slacking off. They always tell me to force the next person who comes in the city a shinobi but I always give them the choice."

"So, you were going to let me choose?" Kakashi asked.

Iruka smiled apologetically up at Kakashi. "Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the cities having shinobi. I was going to introduce you to the idea later on because I thought you'd want a break from all the killing."

"Oh,"

Now it all made even more sense. Iruka was trying to protect him from the shinobi world. To give him time to adjust to the new world around him. He hadn’t been lying when he told Kakashi he would give him a new life. Iruka did care and that fact made his heart warm over with a pleasant heat but the heat was quenched and the smile that had graced his face fell with guilt. He had punched Iruka in the face for no valid reason. The guilt-rock in his stomach was now trying to gnaw away his heart with its teeth while it gave a muffled cry of self-hate.

“I’m sorry.” He said looking down at the table in remorse.

Iruka looked slightly surprised but he smiled tenderly at him. “It’s okay, Kakashi. I’ve taken worse and it’s already starting to heal.”

“I still feel guilty.” Kakashi said.

Iruka shook his head as the waiter came sundering up to them. “Well, you go ahead and keep feeling that but I’m moving on. So should you.”

Kakashi smiled and they gave their order to the nice waiter along with their menus. Kakashi smirked and held his hand in front of Iruka from across the table, pretending like he was holding a microphone. “So, what’s it like to be the leader of a hidden world hiding from the rest of our disapproving society?”

Iruka let out a dramatic sigh and shook his head sadly as he sarcastically said, “I don’t know how I deal with it. I think I’m going to have to start resorting to drugs and alcohol.”

They both broke out laughing, uncaring that some of the other customers were starting to stare. Their food came minutes later and they ate and chatted and had a good time until Iruka looked to the clock on the wall. It was half past three. They stood up and pulled on their jackets, paying as they left. “I have to go to work tomorrow so you can look around town if you want while I’m gone.”

“You really are a teacher?” Kakashi’s eyes widened. “And you’re their leader too? Geez, Iruka, you must have a busy schedule.”

“Yup,” Iruka said matter-of-factly as they walked down the street. “Monday through Wednesday I teach at the school.”

“What do you teach?”

“Well, mostly martial arts, weapons handling, English, basic math, and on occasion an extra language like French or Spanish, depending on how I’m feeling.”

“Whoa,”

“Yup, and that’s only what I teach. On Thursdays and Fridays I take mission room and gate duty. On the weekend I sleep, correct or take a mission.”

“ _You_ need a vacation.” Kakashi declared as he gave the younger man a playful shove with his elbow.

 


	8. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made a lot of changes in this chapter from its last version, for sure. Cut out a lot of things, added some new stuff. All in all, I made it a lot better.

 

"And that's the blood bank over there." The werewolf pointed out the ironically red building from which vampires, humans, werewolves and shifters alike were coming and going from. "We can go grab some when you start to get peckish. Over there is the academy."

The brown brick two-story building was long with many windows and the steps leading up to the front doors looked slightly used. There was a small yard in the back, a couple of trees and bushes in the corners. No children were seen but that was explainable due to it being a Sunday.

Iruka looked up to Kakashi for a reaction but the older man showed none. "Tomorrow I'll be here if you need me. You think you can remember the route to the house from here?"

"We’ll see," the vampire said in a non-challant way. They kept walking down the darkening streets to what Kakashi supposed was his home now and he didn't mind all that much.

"You hungry?" Iruka asked.

"Not yet. Are you?"

"No, but I could cook us up some grub when we get back."

"Sounds good." Kakashi nodded in approval.

They reached the house in less than three minutes and Kakashi was pretty sure that if he had a problem he could find his way to the school no problem. Iruka was just unlocking the door when Kakashi thought of something. "Hey, Iruka?"

"Yes?" Iruka paused in his digging around in his pockets, turning his back to the door to look at Kakashi with a questioning look on his face.

"If you're their leader, then why do you live in here?"

"Oh, well, you see..." Iruka's blush was back along with another wobbly grin as he scratched the back of his neck. "I don't actually get paid for ‘leading’. I do for teaching but I can't live on a teacher's salary alone so I take the mission room and missions to compensate for the lack."

Kakashi stare at the werewolf, his mouth open a bit, brows furrowed. "So, it's like volunteer work."

Iruka gave a confirming nod. He turned back to the door and led them both inside after unlocking it. They shrugged off their coats and kicked off their boots. Kakashi plopped himself down on the sofa, Iruka went to the kitchen, pulling out random ingredients as he went, saying, "How does poutine sound?"

"Poutine?" Kakashi asked putting his feet up on the coffee table and his hands threaded behind his head.

Iruka spun around faster than the speed of light, his eyes were wide and he asked in a soft unbelievingly voice, "You've never had poutine?"

Kakashi shook his head innocently. "Nope. Is it eatable?"

Iruka gave a loud, dramatic gasp, covering his mouth with both his hands as the look on his face turned into one of shock.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" a confused Kakashi asked fretfully.

Iruka raced down the stairs to the basement and flew back up as fast as he could while carrying a large bag of potatoes in his arms. Iruka puffed as he dropped he heavy bag on the table and tied an apron on that was hanging of a little hook near the fridge, "you have been deprived of one of the joys of mankind and I’m going to make sure that you get the chance to indulge in this pleasure. Now come here and help me peel these potatoes."

Kakashi shrugged to himself, sauntered up to the table, sat down and started to peel the large spuds with the provided knife while Iruka busied himself around the kitchen.

X-X-X

Kakashi pretended to have all of his attention on the task he was set to but his eyes flickered when Iruka wasn't looking to the younger man as he puttered around the small kitchen.

He watched as the werewolf's ears twitched now and then, how he pushed stray strands of hair out of his eyes when they got in the way, how his tail flicked when he moved, how the man moved a certain fluidness he didn't have when he was in his human form, how he looked so charming in the blue and green apron. Who knew a man could look so appealing in an apron? The wolf ears and tail added to the attractiveness and the appeal that was Iruka.

Unbeknownst to himself, Kakashi found himself secretly drawn in again by the brunet like he had the day in the clearing.

At one point, the brunet sat down across from Kakashi at the table and began to slice the potatoes long strips.

Iruka was aware that the vampire's eyes were glancing towards him when he wasn't looking. It didn't bother him much. He even kind of felt good when the feeling of the man's eyes traveled over him. It made a very nice warm feeling start to burn in his chest, one that he hadn't felt for a long time. He every so often glanced at the taller man too. Those long, talented fingers gracefully rolled the potato in his hands over and skinned its underbelly. Iruka's eyes climbed higher to the snowy skin of the man's face.

He couldn't comprehend how the vampire could be so oblivious to his own handsomeness. Kakashi had an air of mystery around him with the scar that ran over his constantly-closed right eye and the other eye was like a dark abyss that hardly ever showed emotion. His straight nose, strong chin and flawless skin brought many a maidens' (and on occasion men) gaze come to rest on him when they were walking through the village that morning. Iruka wasn't jealous that the man had the attention of almost every woman. No, he felt proud to be the one walking with him. For once in his life, he felt the urge to smirk and rub his good fortune in someone else’s face.

Of course, he’d never actually brag but… On had to admit he had the right to if he wanted.

X-X-X

The potatoes were finished and the duo dropped the first batch into the boiling oil of the boiler. As Kakashi was watching the slices of potato slowly turn a golden brown, Iruka moved about some more and Kakashi glanced over to him.

"How do you know their ready?" Kakashi asked anxiously his eyes never leaving the sight of little white strips tanning in their man-made sun.

"When they turn golden," Iruka replied.

"When will they be golden?" Kakashi put his hands on the countertop and looked down into the bubbling liquid in the boiler.

"You sound just little kid." Iruka chuckled to himself from his place leaning against the counter in front of the microwave.

"Well, you make this 'poutine' sound so amazing."

Iruka laughed even louder and Kakashi felt something twitch inside of him. He gave an involuntary jolt and his hand reached out for something to steady himself, that thing just so happened to be the very hot cooking machine in front of him, making a yelp of pain erupt from Kakashi.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay? Here run it under some cold water."

"But it hurts!"

"The water will help."

"Yeah, right! I'm not taking my chances."

"Then you just have to suck it up and be a man and let the burn get worse."

The face Kakashi was making was pitiful and Iruka sighed in frustration at not being able to do anything. Slowly, Kakashi pulled his eyes up and looked to Iruka with the best puppy-dog eyes he could muster.

"Ruka?"

Iruka looked up at the other man’s fake-watery eyes, surprised with the new nickname. "Yes?"

"Can you kiss it better?" Kakashi was pouting and holding up his burnt thumb that was starting to slowly heal on its own.

Iruka gave an exasperated sigh and took the other man's hand in his own hands. I small shock went through Iruka's fingers and he noticed how small his hands were compared to Kakashi's. It reminded him of how much more powerful the other man was and yet here the vampire was asking the werewolf to kiss his booboo.

Iruka brought the red appendage up to his lips and he pressed a soft kiss against the thumb. Kakashi's heart did a little flip and Inner Kakashi even fainted. He smiled like a child and he felt his inside melt a little when he saw the brunet blushing from head to toe. The blushing man asked, "All better now?"

Kakashi nodded happily and asked innocently, "are they done yet?"

Iruka smiled fondly at the childish vampire and peeked into the boiler. “They’re almost done. Could get some plates out for me?”

Kakashi nodded eagerly and went on a search through the cupboards for said plate while Iruka shook his head.

X-X-X

Ten minutes later, they were sitting on the couch groaning and rubbing their bloated tummies. They had eaten almost all of the goodness and there was only enough left for two plates which they saved for tomorrow. The TV was on but they weren’t really watching it thanks to their very full bellies. At one point, the bowls ended up on the floor and Kakashi had put his feet up on the coffee table, Iruka followed not long after and crossed his ankles over top of Kakashi’s, the older man seeming not to mind. It was actually very comfortable.

Kakashi wiggled his toes and rubbed them against the feet on top of them to get them to move, too lazy to talk. Iruka groaned but didn’t move from his laid-back, eye-closed position on the couch. Kakashi smirked and pulled himself up into a sitting position from his place. He said leisurely, “we gotta go to bed, Ruka.”

“Mmmff, can’t get up. Too fat.” The werewolf said without moving.

“You’re not fat. You’re just lazy.” Kakashi grabbed the younger man’s legs, pulled his own from underneath their confinement and set the limbs back down on the table’s edge as he stood up.

“You’re right. I’m lazy.” The brunet pouted cutely and opened his arms without opening his eyes. He asked sweetly, “Carry me?”

“Whatever you say, your majesty.” Kakashi answered as he bent down and slid his arms underneath Iruka’s knees and behind his back. He picked him up with much more ease than he thought he would and carried him up the stairs. Arms around Kakashi’s neck, Iruka nuzzled into it and Kakashi smiled to himself as he trekked up the stairs, careful not to hurt the precious cargo in his hands. He rear-ended Iruka’s door open to set the sleepy brunet on the bed.

This was going perfectly well until the letting go part. Iruka had fallen asleep in his arms on the short trip up there and now he had his arms around the taller man and wouldn’t let go. Kakashi tried to pull the arms from around his neck but the hands were stuck and he knew that if he tried any harder Iruka would wake up. He started to mentally panic but a soft whisper came out of the werewolf’s mouth.

“Stay.”

Kakashi had either two options: disappoint the sleeping man and sleep in a cold hard bed with no one or snuggle up next to the cute brunet who seemed to emanate warmth and get a good night’s sleep in the process.

It was a very hard decision to make.

Kakashi carefully slid the brunet farther onto the bed with the arms still wrapped around his neck and pulled the blanket over top of them both. He pulled Iruka close, getting comfortable, and snaked his arms around the waist provided. Iruka unconsciously cuddled closer to the heat. The two tangled together and Kakashi closed his eyes, listening to Iruka’s slow breathing. He watched as the face in front of him relaxed and he could almost see the ages fly off Iruka’s face, turning him back into a seventeen year old again. Soon than later he drifted off into dreamland too, smiling softly all the way.


	9. Chapter 8

 

Mmm.... So warm..... And comfy..... Mmmmm..... Nice moving pillow....

Wait a minute. Moving pillow?

Kakashi opened his eyes slowly and saw brown. Literally. Brown hair to be specific. Brown hair that was barely being held back in a ponytail. And ears, wolf ears.

Ahh... He remembered now. He fell asleep with Iruka last night. He smiled and buried his face in the hair provided. He took a deep breath of Iruka and pulled the brunet he was spooning closer. He paused when the younger man mumbled in his sleep.

He stayed like that for a long time until Iruka started to stir.

 Untangling himself slowly from Iruka, he slipped out of bed. Noticing he was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, he rummaged around in Iruka’s drawers until he found a pair of jogging pants and a shirt that looked like they fit. He glanced to the werewolf to make sure he was asleep. Seeing as the back facing Kakashi was still rising and falling with sleep-induced breathing he quickly changed into the clothes and snuck out of the room.

He padded down the stairs into the kitchen and filled a glass with tap water. He took a large gulp, set the glass down and stared out into the light of the sunrise through the kitchen window, wondering what to do next.

He got an idea when his gut let out a pitiful growl.

X-x-X

Iruka’s nose twitched as light from the window spilled onto his face. He rolled over to try to get away from the brightness but to no avail. He grumbled as he sat up, stupid window shining stupid light into the stupid room. He was having such a nice sleep.

He sat up and stared bleary-eyed at his room trying to decipher the puzzle of memories in his head that lead to how he got into bed last night. He had no recollection of climbing into bed last night after dining with Kakashi. The vampire must have brought him to bed last night, which would have been very kind of him, unless he was having a lapse in his brain somewhere along the memory path. The second was less possible due to him vaguely remembering asking to be carried.

He felt his cheeks heat up and he slapped his hands against them in a futile attempt to stop the blood from rushing to his head even more.

Running a hand through his hair also caused him to notice his ponytail that was hanging by strands clinging to the elastic. The elastic was pulled out and his hair was ruffled.

Pushing the covers off, he hopped off the bed and confirmed that Kakashi had brought him to bed last night. He was still wearing his jeans and shirt he had thrown on yesterday when leaving for the meeting. He pulled off the pants that were now starting to give him a rash and threw them back onto the bed as he left the room.

X-X-X

Kakashi looked up from the stove as Iruka came downstairs and he was greeted by a still slightly-sleepy werewolf. The wolf ears and tail were gone, making Kakashi note to himself to ask about it later.  The younger man was in only white tee and navy boxers and his hair was let down, the brunet's uneven bangs falling across his forehead, barely grazing his brows. His eyes were still glassy from sleep and his movements towards the kitchen table were sluggish. Kakashi’s gaze shifted to look at the once-bruised cheek but the black stain on the younger man’s face was completely gone.

Iruka plopped down into the chair at the table and looked closer at Kakashi. What was the man doing? Was he making pancakes? Sure smelled like pancakes.

A plate staked with three very good-looking pancakes were places in front of him and Iruka looked up at the equally good-looking man serving him.

"Uh, thanks," he picked up the awaiting fork and dug in. "I didn't know you could cook."

"I can't," the vampire sat down opposite the werewolf and munched on his own plate. "My father could, though. He taught me how to make these when I was little. He used to make them for my mom on mothers' day."

"Used to? Are they separated?"

"I don't think so. My other was a saint and my father wasn't too bad himself. I bet they got to the good place."

"Oh, you mean..."

Kakashi simply nodded frankly and continued to eat his share, not looking up from his food.

The rest of the meal was quiet and when they were done Iruka cleaned their plates as Kakashi went upstairs to change.

Kakashi borrowed another shirt and pants from Iruka and started to pick up the clothes that were dirty or used he found in both his and Iruka's rooms. He was picking up the pair of jeans Iruka had used yesterday when said man came into the room.

"I'm going to wash some clothes if you don't mind." Kakashi more stated than questioned.

"Oh, no, you don't have to do that. I'll do it later-"

"Iruka, I have to do my fair share of work too. Now tell me where your washing machine is hidden." Kakashi interrupted as he shifted the pile of clothes in his arms.

"It’s downstairs, in the basement." Iruka was saying while he chose some clothes from his dresser and padded to the bathroom.

The small basement was dark except for a small window at one end that let morning rays in, throwing shadows into the corners of the room. The washer and dryer sat on one side, in a corner, of the room while on the other side a shelves sat that had cans, jars and boxes of cereal sitting on its shelves. A big freezer, much larger than the one in the fridge, accompanied the shelves.

Kakashi sauntered over to the machine, threw the clothes in and started it up. He leaned against it as he heard the shower turn on upstairs. He looked around the small basement, his eyes lingering on the wall adjacent to the stairs.

A nail poked out of the wall. That was odd. It wasn't even nailed in properly. Who would put a nail there and not use or remove it? It was a health hazard, for humans and shifters. Unless it was a…

The man wondered for a moment if Iruka really did have the thing he was thinking about and he chuckled to himself, briefly remembering all the people he’d had to cut down and how they too had had secrets like this one.

Eying it as he stalked over, he grasped onto its base and pulled it out of the wall.

Suddenly, a square portion of the wall next to the nail suddenly slid up into the ceiling, revealing a double-door entryway made of simply-cut wood doors.

Kakashi’s hand lost its grip on the nail, it dropped to the floor with a ‘ _ping!’_ The noise woke him from his amazed stupor. He bent down, grasped the rusty, old nail and studied the long piece of metal before his eyes went back to the newly located doors. As Kakashi pushed the nail back into the little hole, the wall glided from the ceiling and fell soundlessly into place. He pulled the nail back out and the same thing happened like the last time.

A secret door. Kakashi smiled. It was so cliché but it did make sense that Iruka would have a hidden room somewhere. He was an important person. He had to keep some secrets from hidden from plain sight. Although, Kakashi thought the nail was kind of obvious.

He tried the door but it was locked and when he looked through the keyhole bellow the handle he couldn’t see anything besides darkness. He placed the nail back into its position and watched as the wall came back down into place sadly. He was going to have to ask Iruka about the room later, when the younger man was finished his shower.

Speak of the devil, Kakashi heard the shower turn off and a hairdryer start. The washer had finished also, so Kakashi left the top secret room to be and transferred the now wet clothes to the dryer.

x-x-x

Iruka was brushing his fluffy, blow-dried hair in front of the mirror that was in the corner of his room. Kakashi leaned against the doorway, watching Iruka.

The werewolf was dressed in spotless, black slack and a crisp white button-up shirt with a matching black tie hanging from his neck. His hair was being brushed back into his trademark high ponytail when he noticed Kakashi was standing in his door way. The fingers securing his hair back stopped for a moment when their eyes made contact via the mirror and Iruka turned to face the taller man, his arms still raised to his hair.

“I trust you found what you were looking for?” Iruka asked as he turned back to the mirror to continue fiddling with his hair.

“Actually, I just happened to stumble upon it by accident. We are talking about that secret room downstairs, right?”

“I hope.” The brunet finished with his hair and turned back to Kakashi.

“You knew I would find it?” Kakashi said as he came up behind Iruka.

“I don’t know.” Iruka brushed past the vampire and picked up his messenger bag that was sitting by the door. Turning back to the vampire he asked. “You going to walk me to school or do you want to stay here?”

“I have nothing better to do.” The vampire shrugged and followed Iruka out of the house, making sure his hair was covering his left eye.

x-x-x

“Here,” Iruka handed Kakashi a couple of bills saying, “I case you get hungry or you find some clothes or things like that.”

Iruka motioned to the school ahead of them as they got closer. “If you get lost just ask for directions and if you need me you’ll find me here. I finish at five, so-”

“I’ll meet you here.” Kakashi said, cutting the werewolf off as they reached the low gate in surrounding the school. “I’m not a child, Iruka; I can take care of myself.”

“Yeah, I know.” Iruka looked guiltily to the ground but he looked back up at Kakashi and grinned as he bumped him with his hip. “I’ll see you later.”

“See ya.” Kakashi watched as Iruka opened the gates and was mobbed by a small group of assorted youngsters.

The kids were yelling “Iruka Sensei! Iruka Sensei!” and clamoring for the teacher’s attention by latching themselves onto his hands, legs and other body parts that were in reach. Iruka smiled at them greeted them with warmth, letting them pull him into the building. He glanced back at the vampire who was chuckling to himself at the scene and the brunet waved to him with his free arm.

Kakashi waved back and turned away from the school as he wondered what to do with his spare time. He decided to get a good walk in and look for a clothing store while he was at it.

The city was pretty busy for early in the morning. Kakashi walked to the market and most of the vendors already had their stalls open, some even called out to him to entice him into buying their products. He politely declined when this happened and he continued on his way, going until he spotted a shop that seemed like a good place to start.

The store was quaint but spacious enough to house all the men’s clothes they had. There were other customers shopping too (mostly men). Inside, the young woman at the counter asked if he needed help and, like before, he politely said no.

“Well, if you need anything I’ll be right over there.” She said with a flirty wink as she hopped back to the cash.

 Kakashi scanned the racks of shirts, pants and other assorted garments; he even grabbed a couple of things to try on once in a while. When he was done searching he tried the clothes on in the dressing rooms that the flirty counter girl mentioned when she pounced on him again. He quickly tried on the outfits he had picked out and hanged the ones that either didn’t fit or weren’t the right size on the hook in the changing cabin. He came out of the store with a bag filled with five pairs of pants, seven shirts, eight pairs of socks, and other things like scarves and gloves. Everything had cost less than a hundred bucks and he had been surprised to find that Iruka had given him almost a hundred and fifty dollars.

It was now almost lunch time and Kakashi was looking for a place to chow down when a voice called out to him.

“Hey! Kakashi!” Kakashi turned to where the voice was coming from and he saw a very familiar purple-haired woman grinning as she paraded over to him. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“Hey, Anko.” Kakashi smiled at her and noticed she dragged a friend along too.

“Oh, yeah. Kakashi, this is my friend, Asuma.” Anko motioned to the man behind her who gave Kakashi a nod.

“I’ve heard a lot about you Kakashi.” Asuma said as the two men shook hands. “Nice to meet you. My name’s Sarutobi Asuma.”

“Hatake Kakashi.”

“Hey, you wanna go grab some grub with us?” Anko asked.

“Sure, I was looking for somewhere to eat anyway.” The trio ambled down the street and chatted along the way.

“So, how’s it going with Ruka?” Anko asked. Their last meeting hadn’t gone so well, after all.

“You know Iruka?” Asuma asked disbelievingly.

“Uh, yeah, he’s the one who brought me here.”

“That’s odd.”

“That’s what I said when I was talking with Ko and Izu.” Anko said. “It’s weird that Ruru brought him here under such short notice and it’s odd he’s letting you live with him, Kakashi.”

“How so?”

“Well, Iruka hasn’t exactly been very open these past few years.” Asuma explained as he took a cigarette out of his pocket along with a lighter and lit it, Kakashi trying to imagine an Iruka that fit ‘not very open’. “Not since the Mizuki problem.”

“Mizuki?”

“Yeah, Ru never lets anyone come over to his place anymore. He only ever comes over to someone’s house if he has to. If he can help it, though, you can try all you want but he’ll still excuse himself with a stupid reason like grading or he has a cold.” Anko’s face was grave and sadness showed in her eyes but it melted away instantly. “You should see him Asuma, he looks like brand new. Well, obviously he didn’t when Kakashi punched him but I saw him at the academy before we met up and he looks terrific.”

“Wait a minute.” Asuma stopped in his tracks, making the other two stop to look at him. “You punched Iruka?”

Kakashi felt heat rise into his cheeks and he scratched the back of his head, not meeting the other man’s gaze. “Yeah, about that-”

“Its okay, Asuma. Iruka’s fine. There was a council meeting yesterday morning and they heard about Kakashi. So, Iruka gave ‘em the old ‘say so, no so’.” The woman grinned and continued walking down the streets with the men tottering in behind.

“So, are you going to be a shinobi?” Asuma asked Kakashi in a low tone.

“I don’t know. Are you one?”

“Yeah, I’ve been serving ever since this thing started out.”

“Wow. I don’t know. I mean, I was serving under the Council before Iruka took me away and I wasn’t doing the most cleanest of jobs.”

“So, you were an assassin?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“A lot of Council assassins are extracted and brought here and they all say the same thing.”

“Oh,” Kakashi watched as the man next to him blew a puff of smoke into the air.

“You don’t have to kill people you know.”

“What?”

“It really depends on the rank you have but, in retrospect, you don’t kill if you’re a shinobi.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, what did Iruka tell you?”

“Nothing really.”

“Ah, well, let me elaborate. There are five ranks in the shinobi world. Genin, chunin, Jōnin, Anbu and Kages.”

“The Kages being the head of the cities, right?”

“Good, I get to talk less. Anyway, genin do simple things around the village for civilians like gardening and picking up trash. Chunin are more skilled than genin. They either go on missions or they teach here at our academy. Jōnin are the elite. They do the very important missions that can’t be failed. ANBU are the elite of the elite. They do spy work and they infiltrate vampiric societies to keep the council members in the dark about our cities.”

“So, what are you?”

“I’m a Jōnin. Little Miss Hyper over there is a special Jōnin.” Asuma motioned to Anko who was frolicking ahead of them. “Special Jōnin specialize in certain areas, like interrogation, unlike normal Jōnin who sometimes do all areas.”

“Hey, guys, we’re here,” Anko shouted as she dashed into a nearby pub and the two men followed.

The place wasn’t too shady but it wasn’t the purest of places either. The lights were dimmed and the air was filled with smoke from cigarettes and otherwise. Asuma, Kakashi and Anko sat at a table and gave the waitress their orders.

“I still can’t believe you punched Iruka.” Asuma said with a shake of his head.

“Well, he just came out of a meeting. You know how those meetings can get and those Kages are always arguing. They can never agree on one thing.” Anko said as she shrugged off her coat and plopped down into her seat. She addressed Kakashi, “So, give me all the juicy details. How did you and our little dolphin meet?”

“Well, I saw he was getting beat up by a group of vampires so I scared them away and I brought Iruka to my place to patch him up. He was beaten so badly that I could smell his blood a mile away.” Kakashi was saying as he recalled that night, barely a few days ago, and Anko stared at him slacked jawed.

“You saved him?” Anko’s lips turned up into a smirk. “That was noble of you.”

“He needed help so I gave it to him.” Kakashi said simply as he sipped the water the waitress placed in front of him.

“Aren’t you supposed to be a famous assassin?” Anko asked. “I’ve heard your name before.”

“Yeah, I remember hearing your name on a mission a while back. You’re supposed to be one of the best, right?” Asuma took a deep breath of his cancer stick trying to pretend he didn’t care but his interest showed with his question.

“I guess,” Kakashi flushed with embarrassment.

“Well, I’m glad you’re on our side.” Anko kicked her feet onto the table and gulped at her water. “You are on our side, right?”

“That depends on which side this is.”

“The good side.” Asuma breathed another whiff of smoke and ground the bud out on the table.

“Yeah, we fight for equal rights and werewolf liberty.” Anko said proudly as she lifted he mug up into the air.

Kakashi grinned and said, “Then I’m on the right side.”

                X_X_X

                “And then we fell off the cliff!” Asuma grinned as Anko retold one of their first missions together that hadn’t gone as planned.

                Kakashi smirked at the two saying, “you two have absolutely no cooperation skills.”

                “Not together, at least.” Asuma took another sip of his beer.

                “What time is it?” Kakashi asked

                "It’s a quarter to five. Why? You meeting someone special?" Anko asked, a wolfish grin crossing her face.

"I guess you could say that. I'm meeting Ruka at the school." Kakashi tugged on his jacket and grabbed his bag of new clothes. "I'll see you guys around sometime, Kay?"

"Hey, there's a party next week at Izumo and Kotetsu's house. You in?" Anko asked as Kakashi paid for his food.

"Uh, okay, I don't have anything better to do." Kakashi smiled. It was only his second day here and he already made friends and was invited to a party.

"Great. We'll give you the details when we see you again." Asuma nodded to Kakashi as the vampire left to find the school.

                X_X_X

"Hi, I'm looking for Umino Iruka." Kakashi asked the secretary who was behind the large desk in the administrative offices at the front of the school. Kakashi had waited until it was five-fifteen outside the school fence but he got bored waiting for Iruka so he decide to explore the school and look for him at the same time.

The lady at the desk didn't say anything or look up but simply pointed down the hall in the direction opposite the front door and said in a monotone voice, "room twenty-one."

Kakashi nodded in thanks and slouched down the hall with his hands in his pockets in search for the aforementioned room. The school walls were lined with painted multi-colored hand prints that could only belong to kids due to their small size. Paintings like trees, houses and stick-figures were painted onto the walls. Some looked like they were drawn by youngsters while others were more legible signifying that adults had a hand in the artworks too.

As Kakashi walked further down the hall, the works turned into a line of children-stick-figures with names scrawled underneath and when he got to the end of the line he found a couple of figures taller than the others. One of them had a familiar friendly smile and a little, brown tuft of what was supposed to be hair in a ponytail sitting atop the painting's head. Kakashi read the name beneath the figure. Iruka. It did resemble him a little, Kakashi thought.

He continued on his way until he found himself standing in front of room twenty-one. The door was open, so he peaked his head in. Iruka sat at the desk at the front of the room working on some papers. Kakashi gave a little tap on the door frame. Iruka's head shot up, his eyes wide he said, "Kakashi. You're here. Wait, is it five already?!"

"Actually, five o'clock was eighteen minutes ago." Kakashi said as he sauntered up to the teacher's desk.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Kakashi,” Iruka said as he stood up and started to stuff away his papers into his bag. "I completely lost track of time."

"It’s okay. I'm here, aren't I?" Kakashi leaned towards the teacher with a happy smile gracing his lips.

"Um, yes. Yes you are." Iruka blushed at the close contact and looked down at his desk. He noticed the bag Kakashi had, "you found some clothes?"

"Actually, I did and I bumped into Anko too."

"Yeah?"

"Yup, and I met a guy named Asuma."

"Oh, yeah. He's a nice guy."

"He said you guys go back."

"Yeah, I've known Asuma for a long time now. It'll be two hundred and forty-nine years next month, I think."

"Wow, that's a long time."

Iruka nodded and picked up his coat and bag and they headed out the door. Down the hall Kakashi motioned to the paintings on the walls. "Your students?"

Iruka smiled a nostalgic look on his face. "Yeah, we do it each year with the first years and new teachers."

Kakashi let out an understanding 'ah...' and they continued on their way back home.

"They invited me to a party next week." Iruka looked up at Kakashi.

"Asuma and Anko?"

Kakashi nodded. “You want to go with me?”

“Um, well,” Iruka shifted uncomfortably as they walked and didn’t meet Kakashi’s eyes. “I don’t know. I haven’t been to party in a while.”

“Oh, come on. It’ll be fun.” Kakashi insisted as he nudged the brunet with his elbow. “You can introduce me to all your friends.”

“And that’s why you want me there?” Iruka raised a brow looking slightly peeved at the reason.

“Well, it would be nice if you came with me. I like having you around.” Kakashi smiled and shifted his grip on the bag he was holding.

“You really think that? You don’t think I’m too depressing?” Iruka looked into Kakashi’s eyes, searching for truth and he found it.

“Of course, Iruka. You’re my friend and, like I said, I like having you around. You’re funny and smart. You can be a little sullen at times but it’s a given when you’re running an underground society. You lack hatred for people and you make up for it in kindness. You might have had a bad past but who hasn’t? I’ve met people who’ve let their past consume them and you’re not one of them, Iruka. You’re strong but gentle and so far, you are one of the greatest people I’ve ever met. That’s why I’d be proud to have you by my side at the party, Iruka.” Kakashi wanted to continue flattering the young man but he stopped when he looked at the teacher.

Iruka had stopped in his tracks. His eyes were downcast; a blush could be seen climbing his cheeks and when he looked up to Kakashi, his eyes were filled with happy tears. He sniffed and swiped at his eyes, trying to clear his vision to see the man standing in front of him who was glowing in the light of the sunset. His voice was soft when he spoke, “thank you. No one’s ever said that to me.”

“Well, they should have.” Kakashi suddenly grinned and threw his arm around a surprised Iruka’s shoulders. “Now, come on. Let’s get home. I’m starving.”

They both laughed and continued down the street down the street with Kakashi’s arm still draped over the younger man’s shoulders.

 


	10. Chapter 9

Word definitions:

“Papa! Papa! Look what I did!” The little boy with gray eyes called as he ran up to the desk, colored sheet of paper flapping with his speed. He peaked over the top of the desk on his tippy-toes to see what his father was doing.

“Not now, Kakashi. I’m trying to get this work done.” The white-haired man said wearily as he continued to tap away on his laptop, glancing every few minutes to the papers scattered on his desk.

“But papa…” Kakashi’s face fell, tears welling up inside those big, round eyes of his.

“Oh, come on, Sakumo,” Came a voice from the door. “Can’t you spare some time with your son?”

Sakumo’s wife, Hikari, gave her husband a pleading look, making the man sigh. He was usually a hard worn warrior when on the battle field but when Hikari was involved, he melted like butter. The man looked at his son, holding his hand out for the drawing. Kakashi handed the sheet to his father and watched anxiously as Sakumo inspected the picture that was supposed to be a depiction of their little family. His father nodded and handed over the illustration, going back to his work with a quick, “good.”

Kakashi grinned at the praise, hugging the picture to his chest. He dashed out of the room, past his mother, who gave his father a small smile that went unseen by the man at the desk.

X

It was raining. Hard.

It had been a hard week for both him and his father after learning the unexpected death of Hatake Hikari. Kakashi was standing at the door to his father’s study where years earlier his mother had stood. Kakashi hadn’t changed since then but so much of the world around him that had once been a happy paradise turned in a flash into a grim nightmare.

He uncertainly stood there for a few moments, holding another paper behind his back; this one more important than the one from years ago. He stepped hesitantly into the room and toddled to the desk that his father was sitting at, looking more haggard than ever. Kakashi placed the certificate of graduation on the desk, sliding it carefully towards the man as if he was a sleeping lion and any sudden moves might wake him.

Kakashi waited for a few moments for the man to notice but, when the man didn’t, the lad fled from the room with tears in his eyes.

X

“Papa?” Kakashi called into the house as he removed his shoes and dropped his coat on the hook in the hall. He called again as he walked to his father’s study where the man usually was, “Papa?”

He suddenly felt a cold chill tingle up his spine; something wasn’t right. The house was unusually silent. He would have heard his father tapping away at his computer by now like he always was.

The halls were eerily dark as Kakashi crept cautiously down the hall, listening to any sound that may alert his of an intruder or of his father’s whereabouts. He heard nothing until he reached the door to his father’s study which was standing ajar. That wasn’t right. His father always kept the door closer no matter what; whether he was in there or not. Kakashi pressed one of his small hands to the open door and called quietly, “Papa?”

The door creaked open slowly with a sinister screech as lightening flashed outside. He stepped into the room with care and walked to the center of the room. Sheets of work and papers with statistics on them littered the floor. The desk stood tall in front of Kakashi with a figure slumped in the chair. A peculiar dripping sound came from the bureau, little drops of liquid falling to the floor and landing with an audible _dip!_

Kakashi couldn’t breathe. He felt his throat constricting and his stomach knot itself around his spine. He felt his face grow wet but he couldn’t reach up to brush the moisture away. His jaw began to shake as did his fists while words tried to come out of his mouth. He stood there for what seemed like an eternity in his six-century-old mind. He finally found the will to break the spell and spoke as his voice grew in intensity, “papa….no … no…. not you too….. Please, no…. get up! Papa! PAPA-”

X-x-X

His eyes snapped open, panting as sweat trickled down his brow. He only registered that someone was in front of him when his mind cleared from his sleep-induced haze.

“Kakashi? Are you okay?” Iruka asked with concern etched on his features as he half sat on the vampire’s bed, one leg hanging off the edge while the other was bent underneath him. He was looking down on the resting man and had lightly placed a hand on his shoulder.

Kakashi shook the sleep from his consciousness, sitting up slowly. Iruka repeated his question as he rubbed soothing circles into the taller man’s back, “you okay?”

Kakashi squeezed his eyes shut, pursing his lips and scrunching his face up in an attempt to purge his head of the dream. He muttered quietly, “I don’t know.”

“You want to talk about it?” Iruka questioned with genuine care in his face as the hand on Kakashi’s back stilled to come to a rest on the Kakashi’s forearm. The touch was reassuring to Kakashi and it helped to remind Kakashi that he was there, now, not back in the horrible memory.

“Yes…. No…. Maybe….” Kakashi said stiffly as he ran a hand through his messy hair and groaned. “It was just a memory, I’ll be fine.”

“No,” Iruka squeezed his arm and shifted on the bed so he was sitting next to Kakashi on the bed with his back against the headboard. “It’ll help.”

Kakashi looked to the wall on the other side of the room, delaying looking into the younger man’s trusting eyes. When he finally gave in, he took a deep breath and exhaled noisily. “My mother died when I was really young due to an unexpected complication during surgery and my father committed suicide only years later after months of falling deep into depression. I dreamt of the night he died.”

Iruka took Kakashi’s hand gently and started to draw small circles onto the surface in a calming motion that seemed to help ease the tension out of Kakashi’s muscles and the unease from his mind. Iruka nodded knowingly, “you dream of it because it was a traumatic experience and your young mind engraved it into your memory.”

Kakashi furrowed his brows, looking at Iruka questioningly. How did Iruka know that? The young man shrugged and said simply, “you’re not the only who’s lost his parent’s at a young age. Many of the children I work with have lost their parents on missions or on the journey here or even before that. The death of a loved one is hard to deal with, especially in children. It hurts even more when it’s unexpected. Either way, though, there’s no way to prepare one for that, even as an adult. Over time the wounds heal and the memory of the person lost comes to rest in your heart but it can still hurt. You’re not alone, Kakashi. We’re here for you.”

Kakashi’s mood lightened a little and he held Iruka’s hand in his, a grin spread on his face as he attempted to brighten the heavy atmosphere around them. “Wise words, Sensei.”

Iruka smiled and playfully elbowed Kakashi in the side. His smiled faded slowly. Eyes going straight to Kakashi’s, his mood back to serious. “I mean it, Kakashi. We’re all here for you. I’m here for you.”

“Thanks, Ruka.” He gave the darker hand in his a light squeeze and smiled down into the brown eyes that looked up at him with a content expression.

Iruka jumped off the bed suddenly, turning to Kakashi. It was now that Kakashi realized the teacher was fully dressed in a plain white tee and jeans. Turning to the window in his room, he discovered the sun was just beginning to rise. Kakashi looked back to Iruka who stood there, shuffling his feet. The brunet explained, “I went out his morning to go get you things.”

“Couldn’t that have wait for after school?” Kakashi asked as a heavy feeling settled in his stomach.

“Um,” Iruka looked to the floor and he shuffled nervously in place. “I’m not going to school today.”

Kakashi was confused. He frowned in suspicion. “But it’s Wednesday. Do you have the day off?”

“Sort of. I have a mission.”

The vampire slid to the edge of the bed, standing up in front of Iruka and placing his hands on his hips in a manner that called for no screwing around. “What kind of mission?”

“It’s an extraction. We’ve been planning it for some time now and I kind of forgot about it.” Iruka grinned sheepishly and his cheeks flushed a little with embarrassment.

“So, you forgot because you got distracted by me,” Kakashi grinned lecherously as he leaned into the younger man’s personal space.

Iruka smirked at him as the blush on his cheeks darkened. He had spent all Tuesday with Kakashi who insisted on sitting in on his class yesterday and he learnt that the man loved to watch Iruka’s face blush; it being the reason why he always went out of his way to put the younger man into embarrassing situations. Tuesday had been a perverse war zone. Kakashi took every chance he got to make the teacher’s face turn bright red. He still blushed but he no longer stuttered like he had when the vampire started to show his lecherous ways. Good thing too because Kakashi sniggered to himself every time. The tittering was less but it was nonetheless there, if not more to oneself.

“I’ll be away for a couple of days so I went to the blood bank this morning,” Iruka’s smirk faded but it was replaced with a shy smile. “And I got you some. It’s A-positive. I hope you like that kind.”

“Well, it’s not my favorite but it’s okay.” Kakashi shrugged. Iruka seemed satisfied with the answer and headed out of the room with Kakashi dilly-dallying in behind. “How long will you be gone for?”

“Until Saturday at the most,” Iruka replied as they descended the stairs to the kitchen.

“What’s an extraction? I’ve heard Asuma and you mention it before.” Kakashi sat at the kitchen table and watched as Iruka busied himself in making Kakashi breakfast.  The werewolf thought for a moment before speaking.

“An extraction is when we take a member, family or group out of the vampire society and we bring them here. We’ve done this countless times with shifters, vampire, humans and even some werewolves in hiding. Each city does this to increase population but the extraction process is slow and takes weeks of monitoring a subject. The subject could be anyone from a slave to a nobleman as long as they’re trustworthy and they wish for a better life.”

Kakashi stared at the young man who was popping toaster waffles into their appointed machine. He watched as Iruka grabbed a bulging blood bag the size of pocket dictionary out of the fridge and he admired how giving the young teacher was. Kakashi chuckled to himself and Iruka turned to him, a quizzical look on his face. Kakashi explained grinning, “It’s no wonder they chose you as their leader. So caring,”

“Uh… Yeah, that’s why.” Iruka looked away to the counter and wouldn’t meet Kakashi’s eyes. He said that to Kakashi but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself. “How do you like your blood?”

“How it is, is fine,” the teacher sliced open the top with a knife from the drawer and poured the ruby liquid into the awaiting cup. He flung the bag into the sink and brought the cup to the awaiting vampire. Kakashi felt his left eye stir when the crystalline cup came into his view. He didn’t know how hungry he was until now and he fought back the urge to lick his lips at the enticing beverage.

The first sip Kakashi took from the cup tasted delicious and an urge that had been nagging him at the back of his mind was quelled with the trickle of liquid coming down his throat. The sighed in contentment as he savoured the drink and only then did he lick his lips of the scarlet substance.

He didn’t notice Iruka had left the room until his cup was completely empty save for a few microscopic spots at the bottom of the cup that refused to budge. Though, he had a good idea where he might find the vanished brunet.

X-X-X

The doors to the hidden room in the basement were wide and a flickering light emitted from the room.

Kakashi had been right in his assumption. Iruka was indeed in the room and what a room it was. It was small but not miniscule, around five feet by five. The walls were made of uneven stone bricks matching the ones in the rest of the basement and a bookshelf covered the entire left wall with books of all shapes, sizes and ages. On the far wall hung weapons; a lot of them. From a guillotine sword to the smallest dagger, there were all different sorts ranging in style, length and origin. The right wall had a long desk stretching between the two adjacent walls that had lit candles with trembling flames, papers, pens and other assorted things neatly organized on it.

Iruka was standing in front of the desk. He wasn’t wearing the same clothes as before. He had on now a stainless pair of sleek black pants on, matching boots that went up to beneath the knee, and a black sleeveless turtleneck shirt to match the rest of the outfit. His hair was still in its customary ponytail and Iruka was fastening what looked like a utility belt around his waist.

The outfit showed of how strapping the werewolf actually was. His shirt stretched over abdominals and pectorals that had been trained not to the point of concrete strength but they were still firm. His arms were well-built with force that only can with regular, physical work. He was smaller than Kakashi and his shoulders were not broad but delicate-looking. Iruka was small for a man but he was sturdy nevertheless. In other words, he had a good-looking bod for almost eighteen centuries.

Kakashi then noticed the tattoo. It was elegant and simply designed, resting on Iruka’s bare bicep. The black ink looked like a drop of water being held up by a half-swirl. 

Iruka turned to see Kakashi standing in the doorway and he chuckled to himself. Seeing the laugh, the vampire frowned and wondered what the matter was until he looked down at himself. His normally pale face turned a bright red when he noticed what he was wearing. All he had on was a new pair of boxers he had got on Monday. They were a sky blue and they had bright yellow ducks on them. Bright yellow ducks.

“Yeah, yeah, I sleep with ducks. Get over it, Dolphin.” Kakashi said as he crossed his arms, a bright glow still on his cheeks even as he tried to stand tall and make himself look as confident as he could.

“Okay….. Mr. Ducky.” Iruka burst out laughing his head off and Kakashi waited patiently with a frown on his lips for the teacher to get control over his breathing. Once the teacher had settled down, he rubbed tears out of his eyes. “Sorry, Kashi, I couldn’t resist.”

“Its fine,” Kakashi ignored the prodding and turned his attention to the room, stepping into it cautiously. The cold floor tickled his bare feet and he rubbed a foot against his calf to warm it up. “So, this is where you do all your secret, leader stuff, eh?”

“Well, I guess you could put it that way.” Iruka turned back to the desk and bent to pulled something out of the bottom drawer. Kakashi got a good look of Iruka’s ass in the process. It was a nice ass too. 

The werewolf had taken out what looked like two pale purple pieces of armour out of the drawer. It reminded Kakashi of the armour the man who delivered Iruka’s meeting summon on Saturday night except Iruka’s looked more outdated and worn. Iruka fitted the first plate over his torso and the other one went on his back. He clipped two leather straps together over each shoulder with a bit of a struggle and he fumbled with the straps at the sides that held the plates against his body.

“Here, let me help.” Kakashi grabbed the straps and Iruka raised his arms to allow Kakashi more access. Kakashi tied the straps together and when Iruka lowered his arms the armour fit snuggly over his chest and back, allowing flexibility.

Kakashi went over to the desk and fished out another piece of armour from the drawer. He handed it to Iruka who bent down and fitted the piece over the front of his calf, Kakashi handed him an identical part from the drawer for him to put on. The next pieces were a pair of gloves. They were black, like the rest of the outfit, with claw-like nails at the ends and they went up till past the elbows. Iruka slid them on. The last parts Kakashi recognized. They were forearm guards, useful to block stray attacks from other unshielded parts of the body.

Iruka held his hand out for the part but Kakashi walked up to the teacher and took the tan, glove-covered hand in his. He pulled the arm out and helped Iruka fit the piece onto his arm. He knew how difficult it was to put one on with only one hand. His last uniform had had similar arm guard models and they were always hell to put on if you were alone.

Iruka smiled at him and reach down into his shirt, pulling off a chain that had been hanging around his neck from under the turtleneck. On the chain, a rusty, little old key the size of his pinky finger hung. He held the chain out to Kakashi. “This room contains tons of information on ANBU, the cities and future plans, stuff that mostly the humans wrote down a while back. I don’t want this key to fall into the wrong hands.”

Kakashi slowly took the chain and fingered the metal plates. His gaze shot back up to Iruka. “Why are you giving these to me? Is the mission that dangerous?”

“It’s always dangerous to go out of the cities.” Iruka said gloomily as he walked past the vampire to the desk.

“Well, then, don’t go.” Kakashi stood beside Iruka at the desk and placed a hand on the smaller shoulder. He was irritated now. Why was Iruka going on this mission if he was their leader? “You’re their leader, Iruka. You shouldn’t be going on missions if their dangerous.”

“Kakashi, that’s why I have to go.” Iruka shrugged off his hand and pulled open another drawer on the desk. “You know how I told you this city’s numbers in shinobi are lower than either of the other cities? Well, in total, out of the ten thousand people we have here, only thirty-two are shinobi.”

“Why don’t you make the new extractions into shinobi then?”

“That wouldn’t be fair. I gave the ones before a choice. Why would I do differently?”

The silence was thick between the two as Iruka wrapped his thigh in a bandage he took out of the drawer and strapped a holster on over them. The last piece of armour the werewolf pulled out of the desk was a white porcelain mask, the red marks on the mask ironically symbolized ‘wolf’. Iruka blew out the candles and pressed past Kakashi out of the room, mask in hand. Kakashi followed him out and watched as the teacher slid the nail back into place, wall coming back into place.

Kakashi stared at the wall for a few moments before he trailed after Iruka up the stairs.

Once he got to the top of the stairs, he froze. Iruka was standing by the sofa, back to Kakashi.  His ears disappeared into his head and his black, wolf ears slid out of his head, some hair falling into his face. His onyx tail appeared and seemed to meld with the fabric of his pants. Iruka turned around and saw Kakashi motionless, teetering at the edge of the steps. Kakashi blinked back to reality and asked curiously, “Does it hurt? When they…. Uh…”

“No, it’s normally painless, unless it’s a werewolf’s first change.” Iruka chuckled at Kakashi’s astonished face.

“And the pants?” Kakashi asked pointing to the garments.

“They’re custom made.” Iruka flicked his tail, demonstrating how the fabric allowed it to move without falling to the ground. “Something we invented a while back. It was pretty annoying to have to rip our pants and the tears always ripped more when we used them anyway.”

“Ah,” Kakashi’s eyes narrowed and a smirk fitted his lips. “I would have liked to see that.”

Iruka stared at Kakashi for a few moments before the lewd meaning of the comment settled in Iruka’s head. He gasped and the blush monster came back to take over the brunet’s face. Iruka looked quickly away in embarrassment. “You’re such a pervert!”

Kakashi gave a full out laugh again and raced up the stairs to go put on some clothes. Changed, he hopped back downstairs to find Iruka fiddling with the mask. Kakashi came up to the brunet and held out his hand. “Want help with that?”

Iruka nodded graciously and handed over his mask. Kakashi placed it on Iruka’s face, turned the werewolf around and tried the blood red strings together in a tight bow under Iruka’s ponytail. “There, all done.”

Iruka turned back to Kakashi, his eyes shining through their appointed holes. “Want to walk with me till the meeting spot?”

“Don’t mind if I do.”

x-x-x

They made their way through the city to the main gates and all the while there a tender aching started to make itself known in Kakashi’s chest. He would miss the younger man while he was away. Iruka had grown on him these past few days and he hoped the werewolf would return safe. Little did he know, said brunet was having similar troubles too.

“So, I have little bit of money saved up in the second drawer of my dresser. It should be more than enough for my time gone.” Iruka was saying. “And if you need any help or you have a problem, don’t hesitate to ask either Asuma or Izumo and Kotetsu. Their addresses are in my phone book on the desk in my room. If you want, you can use the room downstairs. I have books about the cities and their history if you want to get yourself up to par.”

“Yeah, I might go check them out.”

“As long as you put them back in their original place, I’m good.”

The arrived at the main gates but Iruka kept walking, making his way to the fissure. Kakashi watched uncertainly as Iruka started through the winding, constricted passage. Briefly, he paused and had to close his eyes for a minute to stop his heart from racing. The teacher noticed Kakashi had stopped. Going back to the vampire and taking Kakashi’s hand reassuringly in his warm one, the brunet led them expertly through the compact channel.

They emerged from the hole after what seemed like an eternity and came up upon the sandy shore. Iruka let go of his hand and went to a group of people in outfits similar to his that were waiting for his arrival. There were three of them, not including Iruka and they all had their unique masks on. Each one had a different mask; a puma, a vulture and a bear.

Kakashi lingered at the entrance to the city as Iruka went up to the team. The group nodded to ‘wolf’ and Iruka came back to where Kakashi was. The group was shrugging on small packs and fixing their gear, preparing to leave. Iruka stopped in front of the vampire. The teacher was quiet for a few moments, trying to find the right words to say, Kakashi guessed.

There was a gnawing at his chest aching to make Iruka stay but he knew it had to be done. For the lives of the person or persons who were to be extracted and for the sake of the city’s dwindling shinobi numbers if the extracted decided to become shinobi or not.

“Come back safe.” Was all Kakashi said and yet he meant so much those three simple words. Iruka’s eyes softened and the taller man could tell the werewolf was smiling under his mask. Iruka gave a simple nod and Kakashi watched as he went back over to his team.

The team was ready, willing and able, waiting for their captain’s signal. Iruka stepped next to them and gave a short nod and the taller one of the group, the one with the bear mask, abruptly morphed into a dark, mahogany wolf, his clothes melting into the fur along with the mask and weapons. Bear’s two other comrades quickly changed into their wolf forms as well, Vulture a sandy-furred wolf and Puma a light russet colored wolf.

Iruka was the last one and he looked back at Kakashi one last time before him himself transformed too. His body bent itself to the ground, his legs and arms shortening and the fur of his ears and hair spreading over his body, covering his clothes and armour so they were no longer visible. The kind teacher was now a fierce-looking wolf with sleek black fur. Iruka-wolf nodded in Kakashi’s direction, their eyes met and Kakashi could see that the brunet’s eyes hadn’t changed. They were still filled with warmth and care that radiated Iruka’s compassion for all beings.

Kakashi smiled sadly, holding his hand up in a wave as the wolves turned away and started darting down the shore, away from the city. The vampire put his hand in his pocket and he fingered the metal key and chain in his pocket.

 


	11. Chapter 10

Kakashi turned back toward the crack in the cliff that led to the city and he gave the fissure a withering look.

Mind changing gears, his thoughts chanted, ‘you can do it, you can do it’, and he took a deep breath and plunged into the tight squeeze of a passage. He sped through the fissure, not taking a moment to pause because he knew if he did he would get stuck and wouldn’t be able to make it out. He imagined he was with Iruka and the werewolf was holding his hand, calming him and easing away the panic that was creeping up inside him.

He came out of the crevice, the gates only feet away, and let out a breath he had been unconsciously holding. He smiled to himself, proud that he had done it all on his own without Iruka’s help (well, he hadn’t helped physically, at least).

X-X-X

He went back to Iruka’s little home, anxious to get to the secret room and read up on cities and their history. With his quickened pace, he reached the dwelling swiftly, promptly kicking off his shoes and disappearing into the basement. The nail was in his pocket sooner than later and took the place of Iruka’s key. Kakashi beamed satisfactory when the lock made a resonant _click!_

The doors swung open, shedding some light into the dark room. He picked up a lighter from the desk and lit the little candles on the desk, their light illuminating the room. Kakashi studied the bookshelf and decided on a thick hard-cover. Pulling it out of its place on the shelf, he plopped it down on the desk, dust rising into the air. The chair under the bureau was pulled out and he sat himself down.

The book was old, the pages wrinkled and musty-smelling, but it had been kept in good shape over the years. Upon reading, he found that was a history book of before the Great War started and Kakashi got bored with it easily since he already knew most of the facts presented. He replaced the book and went for the next one on the shelf. It was in similar condition, if not newer, to the last one and this one too was a history book. This one was of the Great War itself, causes, and important battles.

 _“The Great War was triggered by numerous events but the one that started it all was the ‘Port City Tragedy’.”_ Kakashi read and memories came into his mind; mistakes that had haunted him for the past two-hundred and ninety-one years. He could still feel the plane’s shaking beneath his feet. He pushed the memory back into its hole and shook his head, skipping the next few pages. He knew how that part ended, already and he didn’t need another reminder.

He kept flipping through the book. The pages detailing the next battles between the werewolves and the other races as well as council meetings and treaties that failed. He continued to turn the pages until a section caught his eye. _“The formation of ANBU.”_

Now this part was what Kakashi had been yearning to find. It was bound to be interesting. _“In the year 5845, the group named ANBU was official formed in secret from the outside world. The group was made to hide all renegades from harm whether they were a werewolf, human, shifter or vampire. The group took many years to form due to lack of willing members. The group consisted of nine people to start out with, called the Base-Nine, but they grew in numbers when their operations began, unknown to the Vampiric Council. Their goal is to one day achieve freedom for their race and equality among others.”_

Kakashi flipped the page and momentarily stopped breathing. An old photo was on the next page. It was in black and white, the edges were dog-eared and it was starting to yellow with age. It was a group photo of the Base-nine, so said the title on the top of the page. The nine had their masks either in their hands or hanging off them and they were standing in a line, the members’ faces looked grim. But it wasn’t their faces that made Kakashi pause. It was the people in the photo. He read the names written bellow picture but it confirmed his suspicions.

There was Iruka, little Iruka, standing among the taller men and women of the group. The photo was blurry but Kakashi recognized Iruka immediately. He was wearing the same uniform Kakashi helped him dress into that morning, the uniform looked newer and it seemed too big for the young man in the picture. Iruka looked a little younger than he was now, his hair put up in the usual way and the wolf mask hanging from the belt that hung dangerously off those thin hips. He looked under fed and his face was smudged with what looked suspiciously like dirt but could have been blood’s close cousin.

There were other faces he recognized. Anko was there, with a python mask hanging from her neck. Asuma was there too with his bear mask turned to the side of his head. He was the werewolf beneath the bear mask he had seen go with Iruka on the extraction mission that morning. The man with the vulture mask was there too. The face beneath was littered with scars and his hair had been shaved off. His name was Morino Ibiki. There were others but Kakashi didn’t recognize or note anything too spectacular about them.

He read on. _“The Base-Nine consist of, hence their name, nine werewolves, vampires, shifters and humans, all committed to the cause of helping their kind.”_

Kakashi’s eyes flicked to the next page and he scanned down the profiles until his eyes caught on Iruka’s.

_Name: Umino Iruka_

_Age: 1557 years_

_Born: Port City,_

_After surviving the Port City Tragedy, 1485 year old Umino Iruka proceeded to fight tooth and nail against the Council, having a personal grudge against them, his reasons unknown. Somewhere along the way, he stopped fighting and disappeared from the face of the earth for over a decade until he started secretly recruiting men and women werewolves who were in hiding. It took years to finally have enough people but finally he officially named the group ANBU. Leading them to find others who sought refuge, Umino declared that he would fight the Council with all he had._

Kakashi’s hands were shaking, his head whirled and his breath was caught in his throat. Iruka was the founder of ANBU and he had lived through the Port City Tragedy.

X-X-X

They had stopped to catch their breath at a nearby pond when the sun hit the middle of the sky over the trees of the forest. The beach was long behind them and now they were in the middle of the forest where no one would see them.

Vulture and Bear were in their human forms, leaning against a tree and sitting on a nearby log as Puma lounged in the shade not too far away. Iruka sat on a smooth rock farther away from the others, chewing of a nutrition bar, deep in thought.

“Hey, Wolf.” Vulture went up to his captain and stood behind Iruka with his burly arms crossed over his chest. “What’s going on? You’ve been acting strange ever since we left the village.”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Iruka said simply as he chewed off another bite of the tasteless bar.

“It’s that new vampire he brought in the other day.” Puma swished her tail and gave a wolfish grin when she saw her comment had struck home as her leader’s shoulders tensed.

“It has nothing to do with him.” Iruka objected.

“Oh, I’m sure it does.” Puma lifted her head out of her paws and stared Iruka in the eyes.

“No, it doesn’t. Leave Kakashi out of this,” Iruka stood up abruptly and started to stomp away.

“Oh, so his name’s Kakashi, eh?” Puma’s grin widened when Iruka froze and spun around quickly, stomping his way to her.

“Like I said, Puma. He has nothing to do with this so leave him out of it.” Iruka growled through clenched teeth.

“You sure about that, Wolf?” Bear asked from his spot against the tree. “Because it seems to me you’re letting him stay at your place while you’re gone.”

Blushing, Iruka stiffened further and Puma eye’s widened with understanding, a mischievous gleam appearing in her eyes. “Ah, so our little Ruru’s got a crush?”

“It’s not like that!” Iruka’s face was a brilliant red as he argued with Puma.

“Well, it sounds like that to me.” 

“Well, it’s not,”

“Besides, it’s obvious if it’s true. The way you looked at him before we left. The way you went back to say goodbye to him.”

“He’s new here. He needs me to help him.” Iruka looked to the ground, feeling guiltier by the minute.

“He needs you or you need him?” Bear crossed his arms.

“Well, it looks to me like he’s got the hots for you too.” Puma got up and trotted over to the little pond to drink.

Iruka deflated when she left his sight and plopped onto the ground, crossing his legs. Asuma went and sat down beside him. Ibiki went back to the log he was sitting on and began stuffing the food back in his pack.

“I don’t know what to do, Asuma.” Iruka sighed.

“Well, if you do like him I suggest you say something about it. I’m pretty sure he likes you too, though.”

                “But what if he doesn’t like me that way? What if he only thinks of me as a friend?” the brunet’s brows furrowed and he started to pluck at the grass beneath him.

“You won’t know until you try. You never know; he might be good for you,” Asuma got back to his feet and pulled his pack back on.

“Thanks,” Iruka stood up as well and pulled the wolf mask back down, changing back into his wolf form.

They kept running throughout the day until they came upon their target’s city and stopped in the forest surrounding the city to set up camp. Iruka left the team to scout out the terrain close to their campsite. He paused when he reached the outskirts of the city.

“Ibiki?” Iruka called when he went back to their base camp.

“Yes, Wolf?” Ibiki answered as he came out of their little tent where he had been overlooking their map.

“Where are we exactly?” Iruka asked.

“Uh, we’re right here.” The man quirked a brow from underneath his mask, questioning his captain’s odd behavior in his head. The beefy man crouched to the ground and unfolded the map, spreading it out on the ground. There was a little red dot on the map that marked their position.

“Thank you,” Iruka nodded in satisfaction and went back to where he had been scouting. The came up to the edge of the city again and was hit with another wave of nostalgia. He looked upon the rocky clearing with soft eyes. They were infiltrating the city Kakashi had lived in and this was the clearing where he and Iruka had first met.

X-X_X-X

Kakashi didn’t remember going upstairs but now he was sitting at the table, shaking hands holding another glass of blood.

His mind was whirling and he couldn’t think straight. His mind yelled at him every so often:

Kakashi brought the glass up to his lips and gulped it down quickly before setting it down again just as fast.

He took a shaky breathy and tried to clear his mind but it wasn’t working. He kept seeing those horrible memories when he closed his eyes and his mind felt the need to torture him even more by reminding him every single second about Iruka too.

Iruka was a survivor of the Port City Tragedy, one out of two survivors; two out of thirty-four had survived.

 ** _Murderer!_** The voice cried again.

 _No! It was an accident!_ Another voice contradicted.

**_It’s your fault they died._ **

_No…_

**_You killed them._ **

_No_

**_And you killed Obito!_ **

_No!_

Kakashi’s left eye suddenly pulsed with pain. He yelped and clutched at the red eye.

Murderer! You killed Obito and those children were probably Iruka’s friends too. Iruka probably made ANBU so he could track down the people who killed those kids and get revenge. He’ll hate you for the rest of your miserable life and he’ll make you leave here and you’ll have to go back to that hellhole of a home!

Kakashi moaned pitifully in both pain and anguish, stumbling from the table to the couch. He collapsed onto it and stared mournfully at nothing in particular. The voice was right.

Kakashi turned onto his back and thought. He had to tell Iruka but the werewolf would definitely hate him if he did. He didn’t want Iruka to hate him.

He needed help. But who would he go to? He could have asked Asuma but if he really was the ANBU Bear then he was off on the extraction with Iruka. Anko was probably around but he didn’t feel as if this was something to discuss with her. Izumo and Kotetsu were nice. He could try and ask them for help but he didn’t know where they lived.

An unexpected knock at the door interrupted his musings. Kakashi rubbed his face quickly and got up off the couch. He flung open the door with much greater force than he intended and stared dumbfounded at the two who were standing there.

“Hey, Kakashi we just came to see Ruka and- whoa! What happened to you?” Kotetsu peered at Kakashi as if he had just grown a gigantic zit on his forehead.

“Are you okay, Kakashi?” Izumo asked with a concerned face. “You look like you’ve been through hell and back.”

“Whoa! What happened to your eye? Did you get an infection?” Kotetsu asked curiously looking up at Kakashi’s right eye which was indeed red. Izumo quickly elbowed the werewolf, giving him a stern look.

“Um, no, it’s not an infection.” Kakashi looked away and rubbed the back of his head. Maybe these guys weren’t the best to talk to. Well, at least not Kotetsu. “Come on in.”

“I gotta use the bathroom. I’ll be right back.” Kotetsu said as he rushed past Kakashi up the stairs. Izumo shut the door behind him and sat on the couch.

“So,” the other vampire pulled off his shoes and looked at Kakashi in the eyes. “Want to tell me what’s wrong or is it personal?”

Kakashi sighed tiredly and flopped onto the couch. “I found something that wasn’t what I was expecting.”

Izumo nodded in understanding. “What was it about?”

“Iruka.”

Izumo nodded again and stood up, going to the fridge and looking around inside. “Well, if it’s about Iruka, you should talk to him about it, okay?”

Kakashi nodded as Kotetsu came bounding back down the stairs.

“So, you're coming to the party next week?” Kotetsu asked.

“Uh, I guess.”

“Cool. So, where’s Ruru?”

“He’s on a mission.”

“Really? When did he leave?”

“This morning,”

“Dang it! We missed him.” Kotetsu grumbled.

“We’ll get him next time. See you around, Kakashi.” Izumo said as he slipped on his shoes, giving Kakashi one last look before he and his lover left. “And don’t forget to talk to him, okay?”

Kakashi nodded and watched as the two closed the door behind them. Now, the problem was figuring out how to tell Iruka.

X-x-x-X

In the shadow of the building, Puma waited for her captain’s signal. His tail flicked and she was off, climbing the building with grace and crouching low on the roof. She peered over the edge and Wolf gave her thumbs up as a go. Creeping to the other side of the roof, she dropped soundlessly onto the fire escape and unlocked the window with practiced ease. She made no noise as she slipped through the window she opened into the apartment. Her feet hid the floor mutely and she moved through the apartment to the front door. She was about to unlock the door for her comrades when she felt a cold metal touch her neck.

“What do you want here?” A voice asked.

She thought as she held her hands in the air that this situation just got a lot more complicated.

X-X-X

Bear’s eyes narrowed. “She’s been gone for a while.”

“I’ll go check it out.” Wolf crawled to the edge of the apartment roof and hopped to the next roof. He jumped down to the fire escape and peered in through the window. The flat was dark and Puma and Vulture were nowhere to be seen. That was odd. She should have unlocked the door to let Vulture in by now. 

Slinking into the apartment, he snuck only a few paces when a reflection of light bounced against the wall. He spun around to find Puma with a knife to her throat and her attacker safely behind her, holding her by her hair. Her attacker said calmly, “don’t move or the girl gets it.”

“Okay,” Iruka watched the other man’s movements as he raised his hands into the air by his head. “We don’t have to bring weapons into this. Just put down the knife and let her go.”

“Coming from someone whose belt is full of artillery.” the man responded. Iruka smirked underneath his mask. This man was smart. He slowly unclipped his belt and swung it over to where Puma’s belt lay on the floor, taking off the holster wrapped around his thigh too for good measure. The man still looked uneasy. “Take off your mask.”

Iruka sighed and pulled the string at the back of his head, the mask clanging to the floor with an audible _clack!_ Iruka was thankful that the mask hadn’t shattered.

The other man’s eyes widened when he saw Iruka’s face, “you’re-you’re just a kid!”

“So?” Iruka asked as her quirked an eyebrow.

“How did you get your hands on those?” The man indicated the belts on the floor. Iruka wasn’t watching him, though. He was watching the knife in the man’s hand. His eyes flickered up to Puma’s face and he saw her eyes widen at something behind Iruka. Iruka furrowed his brows at her slightly confused until he saw in the reflection of the knife a man behind him.

He twisted around just as the man brought down a baseball bat crashing towards Iruka’s head. Iruka blocked the bat with his arm to protect his head and when the bat made contact he felt intense pain shoot through his arm. He whirled away from his attacker’s way and saw Puma was unconscious on the floor, the other man coming towards him. Taking the opening, the one who had come from behind swung the bat again, aiming for Iruka’s head. Iruka ducked but felt his legs being kicked out from beneath him by the first man. Landing on the floor face-first, Iruka winced when he felt his now-broken left arm being twisted behind his back. The first man was holding his arm in an agonizing hold behind Iruka’s back with his knee digging into the small of Iruka’s back.

“What should we do? He’s a werewolf.” The first man asked the man with the bat.

“I don’t know. Should we call an officer?” Bat-man was clutching onto the bat for dear life.

“Please don’t do that.” Iruka interjected, he flicked his tail nervously. He cried out when his shoulder made a popping noise when the man on top of him pulled his arm towards Iruka’s hip on the opposite side. It was not supposed to go that way. His shoulder was most certainly dislocated now and Iruka could feel pain in his right ankle. If his hunch was correct, the ankle was probably twisted no thanks to the first man’s kick. These guys were good, just like their hidden intelligence had said.

“Maybe we should.” Bat-man said uncertainly. The room was quiet for a few moments before first-man spoke.

“Is there anyone else with you?” he directed his question to Iruka. Bat-man’s eyes suddenly rolled up into his head and he began to fall, caught by Vulture. He man on top of Iruka froze when he felt a knife at his throat, the same knife that threatened Puma.

“Yes. Yes, he does.” Bear spoke into the man’s ear. Puma was sat up against the wall, nursing her bruised neck. Vulture picked up the man he’d knocked out and threw him over his shoulder. Bear stood up, knife still at the first-man’s throat, bringing the man with him. Iruka rolled onto his back, careful for his broken arm, and rubbed at his dislocated shoulder, wincing in pain.

“You okay?” Vulture asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Iruka said as he used his right arm to try to get up. He was on his feet before his ankle gave out on him. Puma was up in seconds and caught her leader by the armpits before he could hit the floor. Iruka’s face contorted in agony as his shoulder protested against the hold. Puma quickly and carefully changed position so that Iruka’s good arm was around her shoulders and her arm was around his waist, supporting the slender frame.

“You don’t look fine to me.” Bear pressed the knife to his captive’s skin, almost hard enough to draw blood.

Iruka, with Puma’s help, went in front of the man at knife point and looked him in the eyes. “That wasn’t very nice of you, Mr. Shiranui.”

Genma’s eyes widened. “How do you know my name?”

Iruka ignored the question and looked directly into the other brunet’s eyes. “What is Raido to you?”

Genma seemed even more surprised at this. Even in the darkness of the night you still see his eyes as round as saucers and you could hear his gasp. His face darkened suddenly, his mouth turning down into a frown. “He… he means the world to me. What do you want with us?”

“Oh, it’s not what I want, Mr. Shiranui. It’s what you want.”

 Now the man just seemed confused. “What do you mean?”

Bear’s knife left Genma’s throat and he went over to stand on the other side of his leader. Iruka glanced to Bear and his gaze went back to Genma. “Genma, I, Umino Iruka, am asking you and your lover, Raido, if you would like to have a chance at another life.”

                X-X-x-X-X

“Vulture?” Iruka looked to the taller and more muscular man sitting next to him at the table.

“Yes, sir?” Vulture didn’t even look in the shorter man’s direction when he answered him. The two were sitting at the table in the little dining area adjacent to the kitchen. They watched as Asuma and Puma argued over their supper in front of the stove, their arms gesturing wildly as their voices climbed. The group had been staying at Raido and Genma’s place for some time now. They were giving the two lovers time to decide. The group had made themselves comfortable in the home while the two men either went to work or stayed in their room all night. The lovers told no one outside the apartment of their ‘visitors’; mostly because they were afraid of their so called guests.

“You think they’ll ever decide?” Iruka said as he fidgeted with the bandages that were wrapped around his arm, holding the splints that kept his arm in place as it healed. His healing process was slower for his ankle and arm than it normally due to his body wasting its energy on trying to heal his dislodged shoulder and failing miserably. So, Iruka couldn’t walk without help and he couldn’t help the team at all, leaving him feeling useless.

“Who? Those two or the lovebirds in the other room?” Vulture motioned to the two in the kitchen whose voices were rising every moment and then he pointed a thumb to the closed bedroom door.

“Well, I do wonder about Puma and Asuma but I actually meant Genma and Raido.” Iruka chuckled at the sight of the stove bursting into flames and the two ANBU trying frantically to put it out.

“The time is almost up, Iruka. If they don’t decide soon or if they decide wrong, you know what we’ll have to do.” The group had told the two lovers all about the city and about the consequences if they declined to their request, hoping this would push them to make a good choice.

“Yes, I know but they used to be Kakashi’s friends and I don’t think he’d take too kindly to us burning his friends’ house down with them inside.”

Vulture smiled at his friend and looked back to the smoking stove. “You really like him don’t you?”

“Kakashi?”

“Yeah,”

“Well,” Iruka mentally cursed the blush monster and sighed. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone; not even Mizuki.”

“I hope he feels the same way, Iruka, but I can’t say you’d be good together because I haven’t met him yet. I just hope he won’t hurt you.” Ibiki got up and went to go help make sure the house didn’t burn down to the ground just yet.

Iruka sighed and glanced out through the moonlit window. He told Kakashi he would be back that day and he hoped the vampire wasn’t worrying. No, wait, he did hope Kakashi was worried because that would mean he cared, right?

His thoughts were interrupted when the door to the bedroom opened and two figures stepped out. They walked up to Iruka hand in hand and said simply, “we’re in.”

 


	12. Chapter 11

“MUTINY!” Iruka cried. The group and their two added traveling companions were outside their new recruits’ city. They had a slow start because Iruka couldn’t stand up straight on both feet, given his ankle problem. Iruka could tell they were all anxious on getting back but he had refused to be carried; especially in front of his new enlists. But the agitation in the group reached its peak at around nine-thirty that morning and Iruka was thrown, none too lightly I might add, into Ibiki’s awaiting arms. Puma suggested the captain sit atop the tree-of-a-man’s shoulders to look out for enemies but the giant had said in a deep solemn voice, “I don’t want his dick anywhere near my head.” Now, Wolf was kicking and flailing his good arm and leg, being carried bridal-style by his subordinate. “This is mutiny I tell you!!!”

“Now, now captain,” Puma sing-songed with a grin that was almost visibly painted onto her mask as she looked behind at her fuming leader, wagging her index at him teasingly. “You’re injured and we’re just doing you a kindness.”

“This is not a kindness! This is humiliating!” Iruka said from his perch in Ibiki’s thick arms, his glowing blush could practically be seen from at the front where Asuma was guiding the group. Iruka took a swipe at the woman ANBU with his clawed gloves and Puma ducked quickly.

“Ah, ah, don’t bite the hand that feeds you!” Puma sing-songed, bouncing out of Iruka’s reaching arms. Genma and Raido looked upon the scene with amusement. Everyone chuckled to themselves at the sight of the small leader being carried by the enormous Ibiki.

“You guys are horrible! I hate you all!” Iruka settled down into his seat when they started to move out.

“Iruka, look at it this way, we’re already late as it is. Don’t you want to get back home as soon as possible…?” Iruka didn’t seem swayed at Asuma’s words until his last words. “To Kakashi?”

Iruka froze as did Genma. The vampire looked from Asuma to Iruka in the back. “Kakashi? You know a Kakashi?”

“Yeah, Iruka brought him to the city a couple of days ago.” Puma said from her position next to Raido. Raido and Genma shared a look.

“Hatake Kakashi?” Raido asked Asuma who nodded.

“That’s it.”

“Silver hair? One black eye, one red eye?” Genma questioned.

“Yeah, know him?”

Genma looked back at Iruka, “he was an extraction?”

“Uh,” Iruka looked slightly edgy, “sort of.”

“He’s at your city, right?”

“Yes.”

Relief was clearly visible on the lovers’ faces as they looked at each other and back to Iruka. Raido grinned, “We thought he had been killed or something like that. He’s not dead is he?”

Asuma laughed at the question, “Nope, he’s as right as rain. He’s the talk of the town. He doesn’t notice it but all the girls swoon when he walks by.”

“Yeah, some men too, right Ruka?” Puma looked back pointedly at her captain and smirked beneath her mask when she saw his head was turned towards her, his eyes shining brightly beneath the mask with irritation.

This didn’t go unnoticed by Genma but he didn’t say anything and the group kept on with their slow (but faster than when Iruka was on his feet trying to walking) walk.

They rested when night hit, making camp in the calm, desolate forest. Thankfully, they could have a fire due to their being so far out into the wilderness so they boiled some water and threw in some wild herbs; making use of the ANBU’s dehydrated food packs* that were left. They ate in hungry silence and the group crawled into their tents for the night, Ibiki taking the first watch (just to be safe).

Genma tossed and turned next to a soundly sleeping Raido in their tent. The way Puma had glanced at Iruka back then was picking at his brain and he just couldn’t put it down. He was also worried about Kakashi. He wondered if his friend was safe. Was Kakashi at the city on his own free will or was he forced to come?

The vampire froze when he heard noise outside. It sounded like Ibiki and Asuma were changing watches. The brunet poked his head out of the tent and saw Asuma walking away from the camp. Genma hastily crawled out of the tent and hurried after the werewolf. Asuma looked back when the vampire caught up.

“Need something?” the ANBU asked casually.

“I just had some questions and I was hoping you could answer them.”

“Shoot,” Asuma gave a nod and Genma nodded before asking, “Kakashi. How did he get wrapped up in this mess? Was he an extraction?”

“Well, it’s complicated. He wasn’t a planned extraction.” Asuma saw the vampire’s brow rise in questioning. “A couple of weeks ago, Iruka was sent to another city to do an evaluation but, on the way back, he received a message from some ANBU in Konoha that the town he was going to pass through on his way back was upping their security with more guards and cameras around the perimeters so Iruka had to take a detour through your city. On the way, he picked up some vampires on his trail and they decided that Iruka was an easy target for feeding. Kakashi happened to be in the area and he took Iruka to his place to patch him up. When Iruka came to, he offered Kakashi the chance to come with him to our city.”

“But… Why did he? Wasn’t he supposed to consult the other Kages first?” Genma said, referring to what he and Raido were told by Iruka himself during the first night.

Asuma frowned under his mask, reaching to scratch the back of his head as he sighed. “Yes, he was but I don’t think even Iruka knows why he did.”

                “How does Kakashi feel about all of this?”

“I don’t know but when I met him he seemed pretty happy actually. You should go back to camp.” Asuma dropped his arm and groaned as soon as Genma left, thinking about his talk with Iruka when they’d been heading in the opposite direction and shook his head when he found there was nothing he could do but watch; watch as Iruka went through the same thing again but with a hopefully better turn out.

                And with that, the werewolf turned his back to the camp and walked away, leaving the vampire to walk back to his tent alone.

                X-X-X

                The last few days had been torture for Kakashi. Not only in the mental sense, too. He had had to go to the blood bank to get another couple of packs because by Saturday there were none left, considering there had only been three packs after the visit from Kotetsu and Izumo. It didn’t help that with his anxiety his hunger grew exponentially, having nothing to do when Iruka was away.

                There was also his little predicament that ate away at his mind. He had to tell Iruka. It didn’t help that when he went to the gates on Saturday to wait for said teacher no one showed. He waited the whole day for the brunet but when the sun began setting a tight feeling knotted in Kakashi’s stomach. He slumped back into the city and sat on the couch, TV on a random soap opera he couldn’t care less for, waiting for the brunet to come.

                Sunday crept around the corner at a snail’s pace and Kakashi woke up to find he had fallen asleep on the uncomfortable couch. Snapping upright, he bolted up the stairs and hastily peeped into Iruka’s room in hopes he had come back when Kakashi was sleeping. His optimism was dashed when he looked upon an empty bed.

                Monday morning was the same until Kakashi remembered there was school today; he walked slowly to the academy, not wanting to get his expectations too high. He did rightfully because when he peered into classroom 21 he had the pleasure of looking upon total chaos. He stared open-mouthed as crayons and paper airplanes were thrown, screams floated through the air and the kids ran around like crazy while some played ring-around-the-rosy around the substitute teacher who was tied to his chair looking like he wanted to die. Kakashi watched for a few seconds before he slid the door open and stepped into the room.

                The room froze when Kakashi entered, even the flying objects seemed to stop mid-air. His face darkened and he glowered at the unmoving children scattered around the room; standing on desks, hanging off the curtains and stopped in aisles. Konohamaru, one of the troublemakers he’d met last Tuesday, was standing on the teacher’s desk, the grin he was wearing faded and he jumped down from the desk with a frightened look on his face. He pointed the ruler he was holding at Kakashi and asked in half-fear, hoping to distract the scary adult with a, “hey, mister Hatake! Is Iruka-sensei back?”

"That’s a good question, kid." he said simply before turning to leave, pausing momentarily to untie the poor substitute.

So, Iruka wasn’t back yet. This set Kakashi even more on edge. The werewolf was already almost two days late. That wasn’t normal, was it? Iruka seemed to Kakashi the one who was always on time, never missed a due date. At least he hadn’t as far as Kakashi could see. He had been on time for the meeting with the Kages and he always arrived at the school early. So, why was this time different? Was there a delay? Had they been caught by the council? Kakashi hoped not.

He was left with nothing to do the rest of the day except wallow in self-pity, repeating his mind the speech he had prepared to say when Iruka came home (he had spent most of Friday and Thursday thinking it up) but with the brunet gone the words sat in his mind playing cards and collecting dust.

He returned to the apartment and slunk to the kitchen, not bothering to remove his coat but having the courtesy to take off his boots. The bags of blood chilling in the fridge took on very appealing features that his boredom-riddled brain concocted for him. He pulled out one and weighed it uncertainly in his hand, finally throwing it violently back into the cool-container and slammed the door shut.

Eating wouldn’t help satisfy his unease; he learnt that after many cups of the ruby liquid he had had on Sunday. Kakashi slumped against the fridge and dragged himself to the kitchen table. Sitting didn’t help either. His fingers tapped restlessly against the synthetic surface and his right leg bounced, sometimes coming in contact with the table’s underbelly.

Kakashi finally dropped trying to relax and made his way to the basement. He was in the secret room in seconds. He hadn’t gone into the room since Wednesday, the day Iruka left, but the place hadn’t changed, not that it would anyway.

He observed Iruka’s supply of weaponry for a few minutes, selecting a beautifully carved katana from its place on the bracket, pulled it out of its sheath and examined the elegantly crafted tool. He lifted the blade to his eye level and studied the light curvature of the blade. The blade had been well-kept but the hilt seemed a little worn. His eyes went passed the edged of the blade and focused on said blade’s smaller cousin, a wakizashi. This one too was similarly crafted; the same light blade with a matching curve to it.

Katana in hand, he sat down at the desk and placed the weapon on the desk as he went to explore the drawers in search of the necessary oils to polish the stunning blade. He found what he was looking for as well as a cloth and the vampire set to work on the weapon. He sat at the desk for what seemed like hours and the minutes ticked away as he lost himself in his work.

His mind didn’t stray, thankfully, from his self-set task. It was a good way to take his mind off Iruka and an even easier way to pass time. He didn’t notice the time until his eyes started to droop closed. The whole stress of the week was catching up with him and body reminded him sleep would be a very good idea right about now.

Closing the room and heading upstairs, he glanced outside and saw the sun was setting bellow the rocky walls surrounding the city. He watched, transfixed for a moment before slipping on his shoes and slinking out the door. He went to the edge of the city and climbed the wall. Sitting at the top, he watched the sky as it went from a light cobalt to a fiery crimson to stop at a dark indigo. It was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. He wondered for a moment if Iruka knew how picturesque the view was from up here. If the werewolf didn’t Kakashi would have to take him here someday.

A chill began to creep into the air, making goose bumps appear on the vampire’s pale skin. Kakashi rubbed his hands together, looking over the edge of the cliff down to the sandy shore below, hoping to see Iruka smiling up at him but his hopes were dashed and he slipped back off the wall into the city. He took a quick shower when he got back, letting the warm water heat his night-chilled body. A glass of blood was poured after and Kakashi found himself back at the beginning again this time a heated mug of blood sat staring at him from the tabletop. Kakashi sighed and finally let his craving seep in.

The loud crack resonated through the almost-empty home. Kakashi stared suspiciously at the blood seeping slowly through the crack mug for a moment, his hand frozen mid-air, poised above the ceramic cup. He gently lowered his hand eventually but his eyes didn’t move from their target. Usually, Kakashi wasn’t superstitious but he felt hiss unease grow at this.

x-x-x

Tuesday morning found Kakashi asleep on the table, the hard surface pressing into his cheek. He groggily rubbed his face and cracked his neck. The half-empty, cracked mug sitting on the table in front of him, a little pool of ruby surrounding it.

Kakashi sighed and looked at the time. It was half past twelve. He slept in for the first time in…. what was it? Three years? He sighed and cleaned up the bloodied mess on the table, putting the mug in the microwave and heating it. Waste not, want not, right?

Out the kitchen window, no sun shone through the thick layer of clouds and little droplets came to coerce with the ground, rooftops and people of the city. The weather outside was befitting for the mood the silver-haired vampire was in. his anxiety levels were really starting to reach the max.

The basement called to him once again, his eyes were drawn to the books this time. He trailed his finger over the spines of the time-worn books. Placing his now-hot cup of blood on the shelf, he picked a couple out and heaved them to the desk. They were good historical books and he learned a lot about how the city’s government, shinobi system and educational programs worked in detail. He yawned halfway through the fourth book and took a deep gulp of his mug which he plucked off the bookcase.

The time was now three-thirty and Kakashi didn’t know what to think. Would Iruka come home soon? Would he come home at all? Or was he lying dead somewhere? What if he was? What would Kakashi do then? Would he find a job here in the city or would he leave? Maybe he could join the shinobi ranks. He was a pretty good assassin, If he did say so himself. Maybe he could be a Jōnin or perhaps even an ANBU.

Kakashi mused to himself for a few moments at what he would look like in one of those handsome shinobi outfits and he smirked to himself, concluding that he would be very fetching in one. He wondered if Iruka would think so. He would be very pleased if the werewolf did.

He shook himself out of his reverie and shut the secret room back up. That was enough reading for one day. He was climbing the stairs when his stomach let out an indignant rumble.

“I guess I should go out for something,” Kakashi mused as he slipped on his coat and boots that he had left by the table. It was getting dark out and he quickly found a small diner/restaurant that offered homemade dumplings. They were good but Kakashi had his mind elsewhere. It was Tuesday and still no sign of Iruka or the team.

He sighed in frustration and swiftly finished his meal, exiting not long after. The streets were warm and lightly crowded with people but as he got closer to home the crowds thinned out to not more than twenty people per street. Kakashi stretched his arms high above his head, arms reaching for the dark lavender sky. He felt his back give a satisfying pop and he sighed dejectedly.

“Kakashi! Kakashi!” The vampire turned when he heard the voice call out to him. It was Izumo. The brunet was waving wildly as he was weaving through the crowd to Kakashi with Kotetsu at his heals.

“What is it?” Kakashi asked tensely, seeing the agitation on the two’s faces. Kotetsu’s normally smiling face was turned into a frown as he looked from Kakashi to his lover. Izumo bit his lip and grabbed Kakashi’s hand, towing him down the street. Confusion and fear knotted in Kakashi’s stomach, the looks on the duo’s face was not one of happiness. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Come with us.” Izumo demanded with a dark face. He stopped suddenly, Kakashi almost crashing into him. Izumo let go of the other vampire’s hand, “we need the key to Iruka’s place.”

“Why?” Kakashi’s hand ventured to the pocket of his jeans where the key sat happily, unbeknownst to the turmoil of fret going through the air outside its little sanctuary. Kakashi observed Izumo suspiciously.

“We’ll tell you everything after you give us the key.” Kotetsu said holding out his hand, waiting.

Kakashi drew out the key and tossed it to the werewolf who bolted off in the direction of Iruka’s place. Kakashi turned to Izumo who was already walking away. He caught up to the werewolf, “what’s wrong?”

The brunet said nothing for a moment as he stared ahead, uncertainty and worry clouding his eyes. He took a deep breath before pulling his eyes up to Kakashi’s. “They’re back.”

 


	13. Chapter 12

Kakashi was surprised for a moment and relief flooded his system at the thought of Iruka’s return but seeing Izumo’s face made his stomach drop even further than before. The assassin pursed his lips before asking. “What happened? Is Iruka okay?”

“They’re alive. The lookout saw them coming down the shore on the horizon. The extraction was a success but…” Izumo hesitated and that was enough to confirm Kakashi’s concern.

“What happened, Izumo?” Kakashi probed.

Izumo stopped short again and looked Kakashi directly in the eyes. “They were attacked. It was an ambush and their numbers were lower than their attackers. The team took some damage. We know, to an extent, their wounds but we can’t do anything at the moment. We have to wait until they come to us.”

“What?” Kakashi growled, frowning and narrowing his eyes anger started to boil inside of him. “You’re not going to help them?”

“We can’t, Kakashi. I understand your concern but it’s not like we can go charging to their rescue.”

“Why not?”

“Because if the enemy is watching, we’ll give away our position. We have to let the team throw them off their trail so they won’t lead them straight to the city.”

Kakashi was silenced for a few moments. What Izumo said was true. The whole city could be put in danger.  He pursed his lips in frustration and said quickly, “so, what do we do then?”

“We know which entrance they’ll use so we’ll go prepare the medics and wait for them.” Izumo said calmly.

They both made their way quickly through the city and as they walked Kakashi asked, “So, why did you need the keys to Iruka’s place?”

“Usually, when one comes back from a mission, the team always sustains damage. So, someone is assigned to go grab a change of clothes from their homes.” Izumo turned to Kakashi and grinned jokingly. “One of the bad things about hospitals. They give you crappy food and they steal your clothes.”

Kakashi smirked at the poor joke for a second before he realized what Izumo meant. The team was hurt and they needed to be hospitalized.

X-x-X

They reached their destination not long after. Kakashi recognized this part of town; this entrance wasn’t too far away from the tunnel where the registration room was. Speaking of entrances, this one was different from the one that lead to the main gates. On this side of the city, the enclosure around the city was pressed up against the rock face behind it and entrance was sealed by a thick door.  The medics were already on scene waiting.

Izumo swiftly greeted the medics and stepped up to the door, unlocking with hasty movements while Kakashi reluctantly hung back out of the way of the bustling people. He watched as they pulled open heavy door to the tunnel that lead out to the outside world.

And to Iruka.

Kakashi shook aside the thought and focused on the people dashing about, hurrying to prepare for the team’s arrival. A stretcher was being set up while a wheelchair was wheeled close enough to the door so that when duty calls it wasn’t out of reach. People from nearby homes poked their heads out of their doors to see what the commotion was about.

“Hey, I’m back.” Kotetsu appeared besides Izumo with a new change of clothes that looked like it came from Iruka’s drawers and they shared a quick peck on the lips before whispering to each other in low voices. He turned to Kakashi, his face the picture of complete seriousness. “The party’s cancelled.”

x-x-x

“How far is it?” Genma panted as he and the team hobbled through the pitch-black passageway, feeling their way with their free hands.

Iruka glanced back through the darkness, briefly thanking the gods for blessing vampires and werewolves with sharper sights. He peered into the darkness and spotted Genma at the rear, saying to the vampire, “almost there. Not long now.”

This didn’t seem to satisfy Genma but the vampire said nothing. He glanced up a head at Vulture who was carrying an unconscious Puma and Raidō. Puma was in the burly man’s arms while Raidō was hanging off his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

They continued through the network of tunnels at a hasty pace and after slipping on another slippery rock which almost made him hit his head on the rock wall, Genma snarled angrily to the one ahead of him. “I hope we’re getting close because if we’re not…”

“We’ll be under the city in two minutes at this pace.” Iruka said calmly as the team paused, adjusting Asuma’s arm around his neck and his grip on the werewolf’s side. Bear’s head shot up all of a sudden and he looked to Iruka with wide eyes behind the mask.

“Wait a minute. Wasn’t it supposed to rain today?” he asked their leader. Wolf and vulture froze for a moment before jumping into action and hurriedly marching through the tunnels.

“Hey! Wait for me! What’s going on?” Genma called out as he bolted to his feet and raced up to the rest of the team. He had to lengthen his strides to keep up with them.

“Genma, tell me this. What happens to a bowl when it you put water in it.” Iruka asked quickly, not even bothering to stop or look back to the vampire.

“It fills up.” Genma said slowly, not really understanding where the captain was going with this.

“I told you the layout of the city, right?”

“Yeah, right before we left.”

“Now, think of the bowl.”

Genma’s brows furrowed for a minute before his eyes widened. “You don’t mean…”

“Yes, we’re walking in the tunnels where the storm drains lead.

x-X-x

After waiting in tense whispers for what seemed like hours, everyone froze when the sound of soft shuffling came from the tunnel. The small crowd waited for a few moments as if to confirm they had heard something and when the shuffling noise climbed in volume, the crowd jumped into action, preparing gauze for immediate use and first aid kits.

First thing everyone saw was Ibiki, drenched from head to toe with both Raidō and Puma on his shoulders now. The medics rushed to him and took the two comatose patients from his hold. Kakashi watched them work, hanging back so as to not be in their way. He didn’t notice Raidō because he was too focused on the dark hole of a passage way; only one person on his mind.

Iruka and Asuma came after. Kakashi’s eyes lit up when he saw the werewolf; relief flooding into his system and his shoulders falling down from their tense spot. He breathed in and watched as the brunet set his team mate down on the ground, a medic practically jumping on Bear.

He stopped breathing when said teacher ran from the scene. He was about to run after him when Asuma called out to him. He turned back and his reflexes allowed his to catch the roll of gauze thrown at him.

“Make sure he doesn’t overdo it.” Asuma said as he referred to the absent Iruka. “He’s hurt badly.”

With those words Kakashi nodded and ran after the leader. It didn’t take him long to catch up to the werewolf and he followed after the brunet up the steps to the registration and meeting room. He finally reached the meeting room doors to find they were flung right open. Inside, Iruka stood close to his chair, back to the door. He had a hand clutching the head of the chair and his breathing was labored, his head bent forward slightly. His mask was thrown to a random corner and his brows were furrowed in pain and Kakashi could see sweat trickling down his brow along with the rain water to the floor.

He carefully walked into the room and placed his hands on the werewolf’s shoulders. Iruka jumped slightly at the touch, straightening and turning to Kakashi he sighed when he saw who it was. Kakashi frowned. “You should sit down. Asuma told me you got hurt.”

“I’m fine.” The werewolf said as he shrugged off the hand.

“No, you’re not. You need to sit down.” Kakashi put one hand no the teacher’s shoulder this time but the brunet didn’t pull away when the vampire slowly guided him into the chair.

“Well, you’ll have to turn on the camera for me.” Iruka looked up to the assassin and pointed to the camera sitting on the little shelf bellow the monitors. The vampire went over to the cam.

“Which button?”

“The fourth.” Iruka said as he pressed a button on the table on front of him and Kakashi did as the werewolf wanted, going back to stand beside Iruka’s chair when the screens lit up and a red light blinked on the camera.

The monitors showed a room similar to the one they were standing in but there were some differences. There was a couch instead of a chair and the table was lower.

Iruka and Kakashi waited for a few moments before a man entered the room; it was the old man (not the one with the big nose) Kakashi had seen at the last meeting. His hair was gray and his hair line was receding slightly. He was wrinkling a little like an old sponge but he seemed in good shape otherwise. The man sat on the couch, his face solemn and his eyes refused to look towards the screen until he sat down.

“Hokage,” Iruka said simply with an equally solemn face.

“Iruka,” the old man laced his hands together in his lap. “I trust you heard the news.”

“More than heard it,” Iruka scoffed as he gestured to his ANBU uniform. “I just returned from a mission as you can see and my team was attacked only a mile away from this city.”

“I see.” The Hokage nodded darkly a frown upon his face. “There were no casualties I hope.”

“Thankfully no but my team of ANBU was injured and they are now receiving medical treatment.” Iruka partially lied.

The old man paused and thought for a moment, thinking of how to explain the situation most likely. “I was under the pretense that Konoha was peaceful and that everything was going according to how we planned. Although, unknowing to the public eye trouble had been brewing with the Uchihas for the past couple of months now.”

Kakashi’s ears perked up at the mention of the Uchihas but kept his attention on the monitors. This didn’t go unnoticed by Iruka who glanced in his direction curiously before turning back slowly to the screens.

“Two days ago, we found the Uchiha clan slaughtered.”

“Were there any survivors?” Kakashi piped up from his quiet place next to Iruka where he had been listening.

The old man narrowed his eyes and looked at Kakashi with suspicion brewing in his eyes. “And who are you?”

As he shifted uneasily from foot to foot, Kakashi looked briefly at Iruka, who gave a short nod, and looked to the Hokage, standing straighter as he introduced himself, “I am Hatake Kakashi.”

“Hm, yes, I’ve heard of you.” the old man nodded, scanning Kakashi up and down, as if assessing him. “Assassin extraordinaire; made a legend of himself at a very young age with outstanding grades and martial arts performances, later recruited in the royal army after the sudden death of your father.”

Kakashi’s eyes went round at the amount of information the man knew about him.  Most of those things were confidential and the files that held that information were kept under tight lock and key. The only people who knew those things were either dead, in hiding or were high up in social hierarchy of the vampire world. How did this man know these things?

“Yes, he would make a fine shinobi,” the old man continued but sighed when he turned to Iruka. “It’s a pity you gave him a choice, Iruka.”

So, the man was up to par when it came to Iruka giving newbies a selection. The man must have been really close to Iruka if he knew that kind of information. Wait a minute… how did he know he wasn’t going to be a shinobi?

Kakashi’s confusion must have been showing on his face because the old man chuckled to himself as Iruka gave a frustrated heave out of his chair, setting his palms on the desk in front of him. The werewolf barred his teeth and growled, “This is not a time for games, Hokage. We have a serious problem on our hands. We’re on the verge of being discovered.”

“Calm down, Iruka.” the Hokage said as he too sighed. “Uchiha Madara and Itachi both have criminal records in the vampiric world. Bias or not they are still refugees; which means that they wouldn’t risk going to the vampiric world unless it was absolutely necessary.”

“Still, Hokage, we should do something about this.” Iruka flopped with weary eyes back into his chair. “I don’t like it when people are around who can stab us in the backs.”

“Neither do I; but there’s nothing we can do about it for now.”

The teacher looked to the floor for a couple of moments. His eyes full of distress as he evaluated the situation and Kakashi stood there next to him; unable to do anything to help and feeling useless since he hardly had a clue what was going on. Kakashi watched as the younger man closed those amber orbs of his and when they opened again they were steeled. “Were there any survivors?”

“Besides Madara and Itachi, the latter’s little brother was spared.”

“At least one was.” Iruka stood up once more. His back straight and fists clenched. “Hokage, I am placing you in charge of getting this information to the other Kages. For now, this meeting is adjourned.”

“I shall,” the old man nodded soberly, the screen going black moment later and the little red light on the camera died.

Iruka deflated moments after. His shoulders slumped, his fists loosened, his knees and posture went slack while the steel in those russet eyes melted down and was replaced by something that resembled pain and distress. Kakashi remembered then that Asuma had said that the werewolf was hurt.

“Iruka, Asuma told me about your injuries.” Iruka shook his head at Kakashi’s words and grabbed the armrest of the chair.

“I'm fine. He overplayed them. I'm okay.” The werewolf stated as he made his way around the chair to the exit. Kakashi gripped the forgotten roll of gauze in his hand. It now showed considerably that Iruka was hurt. His walk seemed off; favoring his right leg. An arm was bandaged and splinted with what used to be his forearm protector but looked like it had been split in two with one of the halves gone from sight. Blood was dripping down his left leg, painting the floor.

                Spontaneously, the teacher tilted to the right and his body made its way to collide with the floor. The vampire rushed forward and caught the brunet by the waist just as he was about to hit.

                “Yes, you’re completely fine.” His words dripped with sarcasm as he set the werewolf down gently on the ground. The werewolf hissed in pain. “Where are you hurt?”

                “My right ankle’s either twisted or broken, my left arm is dislocated and the forearm is broken indefinitely. I also have some broken ribs and a cut on my left thigh.” The brunet said as he ground his teeth when another wave of pain swept over him.

“Oh,” Kakashi said dumbly, unrolling some of gauze. He carefully pulled Iruka into his lap to bandage his thigh first.

“How have been things while I was gone?” Iruka asked casually, ignoring the hurt going throughout his body as he rested his head on Kakashi’s shoulder. He basked in the vampire’s heat as it warmed his chilled, wet skin.

Kakashi chuckled lightly. “Well, your class really missed you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, they even decided to give you a present by tying up the substitute teacher.” Iruka shook his head fondly.

“I love them but they can be real devils when they want to be.”

x-x-x

Kakashi shifted on the spot and watched the nurses dash in and out of the emergency room. He smiled to himself when he recalled their shocked faces as he carried in their beat-up leader.

He turned when he heard calm footstep walk up to him. “Hey, Izumo.”

The brunet nodded to him in greeting. “Kakashi, there are some people who want to see you.”

The silver-haired man followed as Izumo lead him to the waiting area of the hospital. He froze at the doorway and rubbed his eyes, wondering if his sleep-deprived mind was playing tricks on him.

“Genma? Raidō?”

 


	14. Chapter 13

 “Kakashi!” Genma jumped right out of the uncomfortable plastic chair, jarring his lover who had been napping against his shoulder. The two ginned when they saw their old friend who stood there slack-jawed. Finally, they hopped out of their surprised stupor and crashed into their friend, giving him a crushing hug. “I can’t believe it’s really you! The council was wondering where you went off to.”

“Genma? Raidō?” Kakashi repeated as he gazed at his friends doe-eyed and surprised. “You guys were the extractions?”

“Looks like it,” Raidō said with a happy smile, letting go of the pale vampire’s waist and pointing a thumb at the tall ANBU standing cross-armed near the hospital doors. “And believe us, it sure was a surprise when those guys showed up in our apartment in the middle of the night. We thought they were burglars or something.”

“Oh, yeah,” Genma let go of his still-astounded friend and brushed himself free of invisible dirt. “Scared the crap out of Rai and me. We even broke out the baseball bat.”

“You hit them with a bat?” Kakashi asked stupefied.

“No, only the wolf ANBU.” Genma said with a shrug and the whole room went silent. Kakashi slowly felt his eye start to twitch.

“You hit Iruka with a bat.” Kakashi articulated slowly.

“Yeah, Iruka! That’s his name. Right, Raidō?” Genma nodded eagerly as he nudged his lover who nodded just as eagerly in response.

Kakashi stared at his two excited friend and sighed wearily before turning away from them and heading to the hospital cafeteria muttering, “This is too much.”

X-X-X

The cafeteria was mostly empty at this time since it was the middle of the night, the hot cup of blood he bought warming his hands. Kakashi padded down the white hallway to Iruka’s room and pushed open the door with his other hand. At the moment, he didn't care who was inside the room with Iruka because he wanted to see him to make sure he was alright.

There was a nurse checking an unconscious Iruka’s vitals but besides her there was no one else except the werewolf laying quietly on the bed with his leg propped up by a pulley-system and his arm in a cast. Kakashi waited patiently by the door, drink in hand, for her to finish the check-up and once the nurse was out of the room, he pulled a lonely chair sitting in the corner closer to the bed. Plopping himself down in it and setting his cup on the bedside table next to one filled with water, he said out loud, “she’s gone. You can open your eyes now.”

The werewolf in the hospital bed cracked an eye open and sighed, stretching his right arm above his head until he heard a satisfying pop from his back.

“These beds are so uncomfortable.” The brunet complained as he reached over for the glass of water waiting for him. Kakashi grabbed the cup and handed it to him. With a thankful nod, Iruka downed the glass in less than seconds.

“Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?” Kakashi asked teasingly with a smile. The teacher snorted as he shook his head.

“Not really. The drugs they use aren’t strong enough for someone like me.” Iruka said as he handed the glass back to Kakashi who took it and replaced it on the table.

“Someone like you?” Kakashi raised an eyebrow as the brunet looked up soberly.

“Been hospitalized a lot,” Iruka said with a matter-of-fact tone as he readjusted the leg hanging in its cradle. Kakashi lowered his head for a moment. He had remembered why he was so eager for Iruka to come home.

“So, did you want me to read that book or was it a coincidence that it just so happened to be at my eye level?” Kakashi was so busy staring intently out the window the brunet’s reaction was unseen to him.

“Would you believe me if I said that was my evil plan all along?” Kakashi turned his head back to find the werewolf smirking with his arms crossed. Kakashi smirked as well and lowered his eyes to the ground as he sat forward in his chair.

“No, I don’t think I would.”

“Oh, well, then I guess I did put it there.” The brunet pulled one of the blankets covering him over his casted foot and the other he wrapped around himself. “I didn't want to tell you but you had to know so…”

Kakashi nodded. “So…base nine, huh?”

“Yup.” Iruka didn't meet his eyes. He kept them fixed on an end of the blanket he was fiddling with and Kakashi took that as a signal to continue.

“And ANBU founder.”

“Pretty much.”

There was an awkward silence. The only sound that went through the room was the ticking of bedside clock and the bustling of the nurses passing by outside the door. Kakashi sat there uncomfortably, trying to figure out what to say next. Iruka kept his attention on his blanket, studying its fabulous stitching.

“Iruka, I have something to tell you.” Kakashi said abruptly, looking up at the brunet. Iruka’s head bolted up.

“Yes?”

“Well,” Kakashi looked back down at his lap and twiddled with his thumbs. He had never been so nervous in his life and the anxiety built up over the past few days was threatening boiling over. He took a deep breath to steady himself. “I read how you had been in Port City and you survived the fire, so, I wanted to tell you that-"

The door suddenly burst open, cutting Kakashi off mid-sentence. Anko and at least a dozen other people ran into the room and crowded around a surprised Iruka's hospital bed, speaking rapidly over one another at the poor patient.

Kakashi was on the floor. His backside was littered with shoe-prints and his chair had been kicked into the corner on its side. Kakashi pulled his head out from where it had made an impression in the tiles, thinking momentarily, "I didn't know mini-tornadoes frequented hospitals...."

His heartbeat, which had climbed with his almost-confession and the sudden stampede, slowed back down and he shakily stood up out of the cartoon-like rut he unintentionally made. He brushed himself off and turned to the mass of people blocking his view of Iruka.

Hearing the door swing open, he glanced back to find the nurse from earlier entering. As she glanced up, her jaw dropped and she almost let go of her clipboard as she saw the crowd gathered around her patient. Kakashi watched as she quickly straightened up and braced herself. He felt dread build up in his stomach when he figured out what she was going to do next.

"EVERYONE OUT!"

Kakashi found himself out flat on his back in the hall, the crowd of people from before flying down the hall in a cloud of dust. When he finally came out of his daze, he found the nurse closing the door to Iruka's room and locking it. Kakashi quickly raised a hand to say something to her but, before he could say anything, he cut him off, "I'm sorry, sir, but Mr. Umino cannot accept any visitors."

He watched her flounce down the hall, picking himself off the floor for the second time today-or was it night?- and took one last longing look at the door before slumping away quietly down the hall.   
He found himself in the lobby with nowhere else to go for the night. Sighing, he wandered over to the vending machines and looked over their merchandise before giving in to the urge to sit.

It was bad enough he had to wait for Iruka to come back. Worse when he was late. Horrible when, on top of that, that he was compelled to tell Iruka about Port City and his own involvement. Now, it seemed, the world was just against him.

"You still here?"

Unknown to Kakashi, Bear had just finished talking with the main doctor when he found the depressed vampire in the lobby with his face in his hands and decided at that moment he would do something good for the benefit of the planet; make there one less depressed vampire in the world.  
Kakashi looked up and said in a very monotone fashion, "Oh, hey,"

"Why you so blue?" Bear asked and was surprised to not see Kakashi surprised at the fact an ANBU was talking to him.

"Had something urgent to say to Iruka but the nurse kicked me out." another sigh was born from the vampire and Bear raise an unseen eyebrow.

The ANBU looked stiff so Kakashi too raised an eyebrow and said calmingly, "Iruka has a big book in his basement about the whole Base-Nine-ANBU-thingy..."

"Oh," the older man relaxed at that and scratched his neck, taking a moment before saying, "I brought your friends to their assigned apartment and, since Iruka won't be home, Kotetsu suggested you stay with them until tomorrow. By then, Iruka should be out of the hospital."

The vampire nodded and pushed off the chair. "Sounds good."

X-x-X

"So, how've you been, Kakashi?" Genma said as he stirred his drink around in its cup. The silver-headed vampire was dropped off by Asuma at the duo's new home to find them lounging about in their pre-furnished place.

"Okay, I guess," Kakashi shrugged and nodded to his friend as he took a sip from his water. "How about you?"

Genma shrugged as well. "So, what do you do?"

"Do?" An eyebrow was raised.

"Yeah, Iruka says everyone plays a key part in the city. He even offered me and Rai a job in the administration."

"Administration, huh?" Kakashi thought for a moment and shrugged again the defeat. "I don't really know yet."

Genma hummed thoughtfully in response and muttered softly. "I want to be a shinobi."

"What?" Kakashi‘s head shot up in surprise, almost spilling his cup in the process. "A shinobi? Genma, don't you know how dangerous that is? You were there to witness it first hand when the ANBU were bringing you here."

"I know that." Genma said calmly and firmly, "But this is something worth fighting for now. When me and Rai were helping the Council, we were nothing to them, not even subordinates. For fuck's-sake, Kakashi, I want a job where I matter and I can make a difference."

Kakashi internally shrunk back at his friend's outburst. Genma was left clenching his fists. They both took a few moments to settle before Genma said, "I've thought long and hard about this, Kakashi. I thought you'd understand."

 "I do," Kakashi whispered.

"Why don't you become a shinobi? You have the skills. You could be great." Genma asked after a long silence and left Kakashi thinking.

"I don't know..." Kakashi scratched his head, still lost in thought.

"You’d be good at it."

"I know that but..."

"But what?" Genma persisted but Kakashi didn't answer. "There’s nothing stopping you."

The other vampire hummed as Raidō entered the room. "You guys okay? I heard shouting."

"Everything’s fine." Genma stood up and went with Raidō to the kitchen to help with supper, leaving Kakashi to his thoughts at the table.

After a long moment, Kakashi stood and went to the kitchen. The two other vampires looked at him questioningly when he said, "don't bother setting a place for me. I have to go."  
"So soon?" Raidō asked and Kakashi nodded swiftly before leaving out the door.

x-X-x

It was getting dark. The shadows made by the light of the setting sun became longer and darker as the sun disappeared beyond the city's view. Iruka watched as the colors of the sky turned from pink to purple to dark blue and made a mental note to go sit on the cliff someday as the sunset. Maybe Kakashi could come too.

Iruka sighed at the thought of the older man and rubbed his face with his hands. The vampire had been trying to tell him something earlier and Iruka had a pretty good guess of what it was. He was dreading the day when he would have to explain how he came across that information but it made Iruka warm inside knowing his silver-headed houseguest was going to freely talk to him regardless of the consequences but....

The werewolf snuggled deeper into the covers and pulled his feet under, pushing the irritable hospital gown down when it hitched past his knee. He was a little more comfortable than he had been earlier due to the fact that the nurses finally took off that annoying cast and replaced it with one of those plastic-y-looking braces, giving him the okay to take it out of the hanging sling. His leg and arm still throbbed every once in a while but the pain in his shoulder was completely gone even if it was a little stiff to move. The nurse though made him keep the bandages on his shoulder ‘just in case’.

In Iruka's mind, that was just a load of bull to make him suffer more for not taking care of his body properly.

Hearing a faint tapping, Iruka looked to see a dark figure crouched outside on the window sill and he huffed in surprise, pulling himself off the bed and hobbling to unlock the window.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" He said as he backed up to make way for Kakashi to enter. The vampire hopped off the sill and looked Iruka up and down, taking in the fact the werewolf's silky, chocolate hair was down.

"Aren’t you supposed to be in bed?" Iruka shrugged.

"Not really. They say to stay in bed but how can I when there’s a vampire tapping at my window?" Kakashi sighed and shook his head at the comment.

"Here," the silver-haired man took Iruka's hand, tugging the teacher towards the bed and let the brunet use him as an anchor to walk easier when Iruka hissed in pain.

He was seated on the edge of the bed when Kakashi looked away nervously. The werewolf sighed. "I know what happened in Port City."

The vampire looked surprised at the statement and when his visible black eye met Iruka's steady, sorrel one, finding them to be completely serious. Iruka continued, "I know about what happened to Obito. I know how you, he and Rin were sent on that mission to detain those Council members that made those bombs and almost the whole country."

"So, you know what I did." Kakashi clenched his fists at the memory.

"I know it was an accident." Iruka said but Kakashi wouldn't have it and shook his head angrily.

"I killed over a dozen kids, Iruka, and my teammate." the vampire said and the self-loathing that emanated from Kakashi was almost palpable. Iruka got to his feet, startling Kakashi enough for him to take a few steps back.

"Tell me you did it on purpose and then I'll believe that statement..." the werewolf said softly up to Kakashi and they stared at each other for what seemed like ages and the vampire turned his eyes away. Kakashi was just about to talk back when he remembered how he stared down at Iruka when they were in his house after the werewolf had told him about ANBU. Iruka had put all his faith in him back then. Now, it seemed that Iruka had done that regardless of what had happened in Port City.

"Look at me," Iruka whispered to Kakashi as he touched the vampire's hand lightly. Kakashi looked back down at the smaller man as Iruka wrapped his index around Kakashi's. As he spoke the vampire tried to look away again but the brunet wouldn't have that and held his face there with his other hand, "it wasn't your fault, okay? I don’t think it was and no one else did too, even the Council cleared you in the report."

There was a moment of silence as he furrowed his brows and backed away. Iruka saw the look and dropped his eyes and hands. The vampire struggled for words as he tried to understand what was stated before finally uttering, "You read my report?"

Iruka's mouth opened and closed without any sound as he retraced his steps to find more space between him and the silver-haired man who was advancing with a suspicious look on his face. Sitting back down on the bed, the werewolf sighed, looking down at the floor in what seemed like shame and bit his lip as he said, "I've done some things I'm not proud of and I know I've done worse things than you. Just after Port City, I broke into the Grand Archives and read as much as I could before burning it down."

Iruka glanced up at the vampire but looked back down when he saw the older man's disbelieving look, continuing, "I had my reasons for doing what I did but it doesn't mean what I did was right. I read your report because I wanted to know who did it so I could kill them but... Well, I read what happened and why and... I... I don't know... I guess I understood that it was an accident and I was determined to... Do something about it. That day ruined a lot of lives and everything after that and ... I wanted to change that and... Well, if no one else did than I would."

Kakashi stared at Iruka in tension-filled silence, his face emotionless. He didn't even look surprised or shocked. The werewolf glanced back up and waited for a response.   
But the vampire didn't respond; he only stood there staring at Iruka, thoughts whirling within his head.

"You should go home. It's getting late." The teacher told Kakashi, letting his gaze fall back to the floor. The silver-haired man nodded dimly and quickly went to the window, hopping out after one last look at the werewolf who kept his gaze elsewhere.   
Once Kakashi was gone, Iruka sighed heavily and placed his face in his hands, elbows on his knees, scrubbing his eyes before running his fingers through his hair. What has he done now?

x-x-x

Kakashi watched in silence as the sun set behind the horizon and the darkness crept into his room. He finally turned his head to the window after a few hours. He had realized from the conversation with Iruka earlier before that he knew nearly nothing about Iruka besides his age, a few tidbits of his past and some of his favourite things. So many questions filled his head now. As if he has been in a dream before.

He felt so stupid. He didn't even know why he was here. Was it because he wanted a new life like he thought at first... Or did Iruka trick him? Or had he just been entranced by those sparkling brown eyes?

He shook his head. No, he came because he wanted to do something about the Council. Yes, that was it but he wondered… Why did Iruka want to change the world so badly?

Kakashi took of out of the room and sprinted down the two flights of stairs, taking the steps two at a time. He tugged the nail out with a little too much force and was thrown off balance for a few moments before righting himself in time for the wall to have slid up all the way. He threw the doors open and went right to the lamp in the corner, lighting it and going to the bookcase.

Pulling a book off the shelf and flipping through it, his search came up with nothing of interest and he pulled out another. He did so with the rest of the books on the shelf and went down the bookcase going through every single book. He snapped the last one shut and sighed in frustration; nothing. None of the books in Iruka's library gave any details on Port City, ANBU or the Base Nine beside the short bit in the book Iruka planted there. The books were mostly on events and people that lived before the wars and some on poisons, plants and stargazing. He replaced the books carefully on the shelf, taking his time.

What pushed Iruka to create ANBU? A little information like that shouldn't be so hard to find, right? Then why was there nothing in these books? It made him wonder. It could have been that the werewolf didn't want his life written down.

Or maybe the teacher didn't want them falling into the wrong hands.

x-X-x

Crutches were definitely on Iruka's hate list at the moment. Hospitals too but they were lower than those stupid crutches. Gosh, Iruka couldn’t wait to get home and flop down on the couch. He had been standing for at least half an hour and the dumbass of a nurse at the reception desk didn’t even have the thought of getting the young man with the plastic brace and casted arm a chair. He had briefly wondered how she got her job.

Anyway, here he was hobbling down the streets that morning as people gave him some strange looks. It wasn’t everyday they got to see their leader with his forearm in a cast and using crutches. Though, the brunet was thankful that the nurses at least had the decency to dress him in the clothes that were left by Kotetsu and hand him a tie for his hair-which felt exceedingly greasy.

The werewolf felt so relieved when he finally opened the door to his home and dropped half-dead on the couch; home sweet home. After laying there for what seemed like a good ten minutes, he pushed himself up and found his mail sitting on the table, wondering for a moment where Kakashi was but dropping the thought quickly; the vampire could do what he wished and Iruka was too tired to process it.

He left the crutches by the side of the couch to give his pained armpits a rest and bunny-hopped on his good foot to the table. He picked up the little pile and sorted through them, dropping the bills and onto the table with great ceremony. Sighing, he picked up one of the bills and tore it open-not an easy feat when the cast on his arm reached down to cover some of his thumb while trying to not put so much pressure on one foot. The brunet scanned up and down the page, biting his lip at the numbers presented.

x-x-x

Kakashi glanced up from the shelf. He had begun to daydream and was lost in thought when he heard the door open and close upstairs, sucking him out of la-la-land. Who could that be? It wasn’t morning already was it?

The vampire poked his head out of the room and was hit with two things; the sunlight spilling through the window and the smell. That wonderful fragrance. Kakashi took a deep intake through his nose and sighed as he was overcome with that scent. He knew this one; he had smelt it before but he couldn’t place where.

Without thinking, Kakashi flitted up the stairs to the main floor-following the smell-where he found Iruka with his back to the vampire.

Iruka was home already; Iruka. The smell was the strongest up here and there were no fruits or perfume bottles in sight so it had to be Iruka. The sweet-smelling werewolf was innocently biting his lip and when the brunet let off a sigh and dropped the letter he was holding to pick up another, Kakashi was hit with another wave of aroma that assaulted him so hard he could practically taste it on him tongue. It made Kakashi wonder. Usually, the vampire had more of a taste for bitter but Iruka smelled like honey and flowers. It was intoxicating, as if the whole smell itself was made of addiction and Kakashi felt light-headed just by breathing it in. He considered the possibility of tasting; scarlet liquid flowing over his taste buds, sending them into fits of pleasure. His mouth was starting to salivate at the thought and his feet automatically brought him as close as he could.

He didn't notice the werewolf had gone rigid when he heard Kakashi step up behind him. He didn't notice Iruka pale when he leaned into the crook of the brunet’s neck and inhaled the captivating aroma that radiated from Iruka, dragging his nose up towards the teacher’s ear as his hands came up to caress the werewolf’s shoulders.

“K-Kakashi?” Iruka stuttered out through a trembling jaw. “W-when was the… last time you had something to drink?”

Kakashi hummed and thought about the question for a moment as his nose traced the outline of Iruka’s ear and came back down to the tan neck. His thoughts wandered around until he spoke in a husky voice. “Don’t know.”

Iruka froze as Kakashi finally gave into the urge and let his fangs slip out and graze the smooth neck before him; both of his eyes now bloody red. Iruka gasped lightly when he felt Kakashi stop and retreat as he took a deep breath. Iruka knew what came next.


	15. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick question: you guys think I should switch the version on ffnet to this one?  
> Anyway, getting better I hope... Didn't work hard on this chapter but... Eh, not much I could do without changing the whole story.

Kakashi’s head snapped back, hip catching on the sofa as he stumbled back to catch his balance, causing him to plummet to the floor sideways; his hand catching most of his fall to lessen the blow on his hip. He sat up, stunned, and felt his cheek in shock but quickly withdrew his hand when his cheek pulsed with pain at the touch. He growled and turned on Iruka; about to yell ‘what the heck was that for?’ but came to realize what he almost did when he saw Iruka had covered his mouth with the hand he had just slapped Kakashi with, eyes filled with fear. Kakashi looked away from his host for a few seconds to recollect his thoughts.

Why had he done that? True, Kakashi did feel the pain of thirst clawing at his stomach and throat but he should have been able to control it; he had dealt with much more before. He had blood at Genma and Raidō’s place but that had just been a sip and now it looked like a little did not go a long way. Kakashi gathered himself up and looked back to apologize to Iruka when he stopped in his tracks.

Iruka’s face was paler than a sheet but his eyes were red-rimmed and filled to the brink with tears, his chest heaving. A tiny sob that he was trying to suppress escaped and tore at Kakashi’s heart. The brunet turned to the side and furrowed his brows as he snapped his eyes shut, tears slipping down his cheeks and hitting the floor with a very audible splash that echoed through the small apartment.

Kakashi tried to speak, to at least say he was sorry, but no words came out and he simply stared at the werewolf. Iruka, crying? The idea seemed foreign to him; the brunet was so tenacious, even when Kakashi had punched him after hearing the Kages thought he was going to be a shinobi.

There was a sudden knock at the door but before it could be answered a concerned Asuma decked out in his ANBU gear stormed into the house, turning to Kakashi as he demanded, “What did you do?”

Kakashi looked away at the floor in shame and Asuma stomped past him to Iruka, shielding his friend from Kakashi with his back as he rubbed Iruka’s shoulder and asked, “You okay? What happened?”

Iruka shook his head as he rubbed at his eyes furiously and tried to quell the tears that were now streaming down his face. Asuma sighed and turned on Kakashi who had scrapped himself off the floor and was now watching in concern and confusion. “Why don’t you go upstairs?”

It was more of a command than a question but Kakashi obeyed without hesitation and rapidly climbed the stairs to the bathroom. He stared at himself in the mirror and his jaw dropped in shock. He hardly even recognized himself. Both of his eyes were now shocking red, dark circles under his eyes made them pop even more and his fangs were so long they bit into his bottom lip when his mouth wasn’t even closed. He hastily retracted them with some effort and snapped his mouth shut, willing his eyes with no avail to change back to normal. He spun the dial on the sink and splashed his face with as much water cold water as he could as if to wash away what just happened.

He clutched the sides of the sink after he shut the water as he tried to clear his confused mind and stared at the dark hole of the drain for what seemed like ages. The image of those rueful, brown eyes gazing at him, thick with horror and panic burned into his mind.

He was sucked from his thoughts when heard a shuffling at the door; Asuma. He hadn’t heard the man climb the stairs so much he was deep in thought which was understandable due to the fact the older man was an ANBU.

“Asuma-“

“I know you didn't mean to hurt him.” The ANBU cut in swiftly. “Iruka does too but…he’s just a little shaken up because it reminded him of something he didn't want to be reminded of.”

Kakashi nodded slowly, starting to understand a little more but there were still a few gaps. “What happened?”

Asuma hesitated, glancing down and shuffling his feet. “You should let Iruka tell you that.”

X-X-X

                Descending the stairs, Asuma went to Iruka who was seated on a far side of the couch and Kakashi lingered at the top, the friend whispering softly to the other brunet shortly before going to the door, saying before exiting, “you two have to talk. I'm going for a smoke.”

The vampire took each step down cautiously and sat down next to Iruka, leaving a sensible amount of space between them both so Iruka would feel comfortable. The silence between the two stretched. Iruka had his good leg tucked up under his hand while it cushioned his chin. Kakashi rubbed his hands together and tried to find the words to start an apology but the brunet saved him the trouble.

“Do you know who Orochimaru was?” The question startled the vampire but he nodded in response.

“He was a council member before the werewolves and vampire started fighting but he was kicked out when the other member found out that he was experimenting on non-consenting people, right?” What did Orochimaru have to do with this? The vampire felt his stomach drop. He studied the younger man as he waited for reaction to his statement but none came. The young man simply stared into empty space just above his cast and nodded as if in a trance, his eyes bloodshot.

“Right, and he was banished a handful of years before the incident in Port City.” The brunet blinked and went to fiddle with the blanket that had been hastily thrown around his shoulders. “Asuma didn’t say anything?”

Kakashi bobbed his head slowly and Iruka continued. “I just turned seventeen and Konohagakure was in its peak of industrialization. The newly appointed Kages and I used that peak to build this city; it was just getting on its feet. Then I met Mizuki.”

The vampire watched a range of emotions play on Iruka’s face all in a matter of moments before the werewolf schooled his features again; hurt, rage, woe and a wide range of others.

A deep breath was taken before Iruka pushed on. “He was a human and I met him when a group of Jōnin brought him in from the outer regions of the country and I guess that’s when I fell in love with him. He seemed so dashing at the time and I looked up to him for his opinion for almost everything. I was hooked on him and he took notice. After a couple of months, we started dating and he influenced my decisions greatly in a lot of things. In human years, he was twenty-six and he looked so much older than I did. He noticed that too. One day, he left. He said he was going to find Orochimaru because he had heard the man could make humans and shifters live as long as vampires and werewolves could and then he was gone. He never looked back.”

Not once did the brunet look at him but Kakashi could practically see everything play out in his eyes even though they weren’t on him. They reflected the light of the sun pouring through the open blinds but behind Kakashi could almost see a dark figure walking out of a door. Iruka’s eyes quickly shut and furrowed his brows; the memory pushed back into the corner of his mind.

“I waited for him; every day I would stand by the window, waiting. I finally came out of my rut a couple of years later when the Hokage requested that I go back to Konoha for the festival we have every nine to ten years. I was in front of the gates when he appeared, looking the same as he did when he left. Turns out that he got what he wanted; Orochimaru had used him as a subject and now he’s a sick mix between a shifter and vampire. I thought he came back to be with me. I didn't even wonder about the side effects of his new capabilities. I was just happy he was back.” Iruka’s hand had stopped fiddling with his eyes staring off into space, lost in memory. Kakashi’s stomach clenched and dropped, having an idea what was coming. “I took him back to my home in Konoha and we had supper. We went to the festival, I felt his eyes on me the whole time and I thought it was because he missed me. We came back and I was washing my face in the bathroom. He came up right behind me.”

The puzzle pieces came together in Kakashi’s head and the picture could be seen clearer now. Iruka shifted under his gaze and looked towards the kitchen. Kakashi followed his gaze to the window in the kitchen above the sink. “I saw him in the mirror just as I saw your reflection in the window. His eyes had been blood red just as yours had been and then he was next to my neck just like you were, touching my shoulders but I didn't react when I saw his fangs. Asuma found me bloody and pale on my bathroom floor the next morning. Mizuki was found at the blood bank, drinking as much blood as he could. He was banished and I was hospitalized until I recovered but even then I neglected my duties. I stayed at home and never left the house. Sooner or later this city fell and Konoha was falling apart; the Hokage in charge at the time was new to the job and failing miserably without my guidance. I guess I opened my eyes after a few years and saw the damage I had done by just doing nothing. So, I got back on my feet and…here we are today.”

The vampire turned his gaze away from the melancholy werewolf and bit his lip. Now, he understood Iruka’s reaction and he regretted his actions much more than he did before because he made Iruka remember such a traumatic event. He wavered as he tried to think of the right words to say. “I’m so sorry, Iruka. I-”

“It’s okay.” The teacher objected as he gave a sniff and wiped his nose. Though, Kakashi continued; now that he was started he couldn’t stop.

“No, it’s not. I made you relive a frightening, near-death experience. I have no excuse for my actions.” Kakashi lowered his head in shame but Iruka scooted closer to the older man and gave one of the other’s hands a light, reassuring touch.

“Kakashi, you’re a vampire. It was an instinct.” Said vampire looked up to protest but slowly closed his mouth when he saw Iruka’s turned up into a heartening smile that swiftly switched into a grin. “I guess that means that we’ll have to go to the blood bank later.”

The pale man scoffed at the statement and shook his head before saying, “you’re being strangely optimistic.”

“Well, I guess it’s because I was anxious to get home.” Iruka looked down at his lap and Kakashi wondered briefly if Iruka had been anxious to come home because of him; the notion sent warmth into his spine and the bleak mood from moments before lighting.

He smiled to himself and studied the brunet for a few moments, taking in how tired he looked, his red-rimmed eyes that were no longer as bloodshot as before, how his pale skin was coming back to a normal color around his cheeks and neck. His neck kept Kakashi’s attention especially and he felt his eyes start to stir again but he shook his head and shut his eyes, turning away. He bolted up, catching Iruka’s attention in the process.

“Ah!” Iruka saw his pained expression and how his hand covered his hand and mouth to keep the scent away, remembering how the vampire needed blood. “Wait.”

The werewolf jumped up too and bunny hopped to the door, opening it and leaning his head out the doorway. A dark figure appeared and Iruka jumped in shock at the man’s sudden appearance, recovering promptly. “Asuma, could you take Kakashi for a walk like to the blood bank? I don’t think I could get him there and could you make sure he doesn’t do anything he’ll regret?”

Kakashi watched the exchange and gave Iruka a thankful smile as he stepped out of the house, following Asuma down the street.

X-x-X

Iruka peeked behind the sofa. Ah, there they were; his _beloved_ crutches. He stretched his good arm as far as it would go and latched onto one of them, reaching back down once he had the first to retrieve the second. He hobbled to the kitchen and looked through his cupboards. Huh, Kakashi had hardly touched anything while he was away. It boggled his mind. Yes, vampires did drink blood but they also needed to eat, right?

He hummed into the quiet space and went down the stairs to the basement to make sure the secret room was closed. Fortunate that he remembered the room because, as it turns out, his invitee had left the doors wide open for the world to see. The teacher frowned and shuffled himself to the room, finding the candles on the desk close to their ends. Tottering into the room, he had blown out one and was about to blow out the other candle when something caught his eye.

His katana.

The brunet forsook the crutches by the bookcase, took the sleek weapon off its bracket and slid it out of its sheath, leaning against the desk for balance. The flawless blade reflected the light from the last candle and the light from outside the room seamlessly unlike when Iruka had last seen it taking inventory of the room. The werewolf chuckled lightly at the absent vampire and shook his head, smiling fondly. What a funny vampire Kakashi was, taking care of other peoples’ things in his spare time.

The smile slowly faded as he stared at the exquisite blade. It had been made by one of the finest sword makers in the whole world; a human by the name of Tō who lived only for a short while. All his swords and other weapons were works of art as well as weapons of mass destruction due to their amazing durability and their ability to slice through almost anything. There were only so many blades made by Master-Tō. The human had made the very blade he was holding with Iruka in his thoughts and engraved the kanji for ‘clever’ into the hilt.

Iruka scoffed at a memory that popped into his mind and pushed it away, sheathing and putting the weapon back where it was. He crutched upstairs and relished in the beauty of a nice, hot bath which he had some difficulty with that was easily overlooked with the bath’s merits.

x-X-x

“Make a difference”; that’s the reason Genma gave him when Kakashi came over last night along with, “I want a job where I matter.”

“I wanted to change that and... Well, if no one else did than I would.” the reason Iruka founded the Base Nine which turned into ANBU.

Walking beside Asuma gave him time to think a little (the man said he didn't feel like talking) and his thoughts strayed to what had happened last night, leading up to Genma becoming a shinobi and saying Kakashi would be a good shinobi too.

He was genuinely considering that idea. What else could he do? He certainly did not see himself working at a stall in the market.

He sighed in frustration and glanced at the man in the Bear mask. “Hey, Asuma?”

The older man grunted in response and turned his head in Kakashi’s direction. “Yeah?”

“Well, I was kind of wondering, what…well…are the shinobi exams difficult?” Kakashi watched as the taller man’s eyes went wide behind the Bear mask with surprise at the question.

“You’re thinking of giving it a shot?” Kakashi sucked in a breath and gave a quick nod. He saw Asuma’s eyes sparkle with interest as the man turned his eyes back to the road in front of them.

“Well, the Genin exams are pretty basic; some kunai throwing, dodging, and a written exam of basic subjects. The Chunin exams are a little rougher; survival test, another written and some agility exams. There all done in Konoha.” Kakashi nodded as the older man went on about the whole process but the younger man’s attention was quickly lost when he started to hear the same thing the books in Iruka’s basement said. His mind wandered back to Iruka and he wondered if it was to make Iruka proud that he wanted to become a shinobi, for his own self-appreciation or to help the werewolves. Looking it over, it seemed like all reasons were just as good.

On the way back home, with a dozen or two bags of blood swinging from a sac in Kakashi’s hand, the vampire wondered what the world would be like without werewolves. That thought lead to the thought of no Asuma or Kotetsu; no Iruka.

He stopped in his tracks; Asuma paused in his step to look back in bewilderment.

Kakashi’s heart skipped beat and he bit his lip, clenching his fists. He couldn’t let that happen.

                x-x-x

Music wafted down from the second floor as Kakashi and Asuma entered the home. As the duo placed the bags of blood in the fridge, a few verses became clear to their ears.

Kakashi scoffed at the brunet’s choice in music and shut the door to the fridge; a thought coming into play in his mind. “Hey, Asuma.”

“Yeah?” the ANBU was lying on the couch; Bear mask moved to the side of his head, still attached by the red string.

“So, you just so happen to be passing by when you heard a noise...” Kakashi raised an eyebrow and leaned against the fridge. The werewolf shook his head.

“No, I was supposed to escort Iruka home but the kid left before I even got there. So, I came here to make sure he got home safe.” Kakashi made an ‘ah’ and nodded in understanding.

“And about… With Raidō and Genma’s extraction…”

“If we put up a fight they would have seen us as a threat.” Was the immediate response and Kakashi let out an ‘oh.’ The ANBU hoisted himself off the couch, saying, “We should go check if he needs help with that leg and arm of his.”

The two climbed the steps and it occurred to Kakashi with Asuma’s words that Iruka could have been using the music to cover up the sounds of him having trouble with his injuries. The vampire felt a twinge of concern flitter through his stomach; what if he slipped and he hurt himself? As they approached the bathroom, they could (to Kakashi’s relief) hear Iruka change song and the lyrics floated down to them.

                The two men outside the door looked at each other and Asuma rolled his eyes as Kakashi sniggered to himself. The taller man gave a loud knock. “Nice choice in music, Iruka.”

                They waited for a witty response from the werewolf but instead all they received was another switch in songs and genre. Beside the first verse, the two outside the door couldn’t understand the rest of the song as an electric guitar launched into a roaring solo. They both chuckled again and Asuma called over the blaring verses, “you okay in there?”

                The werewolf and vampire listened at the door but they got none either due to the music being too loud or Iruka not answering. The werewolf tried the door and found it to be unlocked. They both stepped inside to find Iruka sitting on the edge of the claw-foot tub with a towel wrapped around his waist, a pair of scissors in hand. The younger man was cutting off his cast.

                “Iruka!” Asuma shouted over the music. “You’re not supposed to take the cast off yet!”

                Instead of retorting, the werewolf simply kept snipping carefully through the plaster while mouthing the words that were incomprehensible to both Kakashi and Asuma, ignoring them both as he lightly bobbed his head. Kakashi smirked at his host’s childishness and Iruka gave him a small conspicuous but playful smile in return when he glanced at the vampire from the corner of his eye. The older werewolf groaned and shook his head.

“I, honestly, don’t know why the hospital even bothers to give you plaster casts when you’re just going to cut it off.” The Bear ANBU shook his head in defeat and gave Iruka a short wave before exiting, saying, “Whatever, if you need me, I’ll be doing my rounds.”

The other werewolf waved his scissors in the older man’s direction but kept his attention on his work. Asuma took Kakashi’s arm as he left and pulled him a few steps away from the room, saying, “Make sure he doesn’t hurt himself, will ya?”

“Sure,” Asuma gave the vampire a slap on the shoulder in thanks before tromping away. Kakashi re-entered the bathroom to find the brunet had turned down the volume on the speakers and had returned back to his ‘work’. Kakashi watched him work until the cast was cut half way and Iruka sighed in irritation.

“I don’t think that’s such a good-” Iruka gave him a glare that made him snap his mouth shut.

“My arm healed at least two hours ago,” the brunet stated as he let the scissors slide into the empty tub, grabbing a corner of the cut part of the cast and tearing it off in a cloud of plaster dust. The part that had been ripped off left a gap large enough for Iruka to wiggle his arm out the rest of the way, getting stuck at the wrist. Kakashi sighed in defeat, took a hold of the cast and tore it more for Iruka to pull out his arm with ease. The teacher gave Kakashi a thankful smile, “thanks.”

The brunet gave his healed arm some experimental twist, turns and stretches and grinned in satisfaction as no pain was felt. He stood quickly and made his way past Kakashi to the door, letting Kakashi get a full view of his thin, tan back and the large, menacing scar adorning it. Kakashi’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of the pale, white, thick line that crossed sideways across his spine. Iruka glanced back at the vampire when the gasp was heard and looked at his back in the direction Kakashi was looking. His eyes widened in recognition, turning his back to Kakashi once again when his face flushed, “it’s nothing.”

“Nothing?” Kakashi repeated in disbelief but his query was ignored as the teacher flew down the hall to his room as fast as any person with a brace on his leg could. The vampire followed after him, taking in the fact that the werewolf was a lot thinner than he thought. “Iruka, that cannot be considered nothing.”

“It just is, okay?” Iruka snapped as he shut the door, leaving the silver-haired man to groan and wait for the brunet. A few moments went by and the noises of clothes rustling on the other side stopped. Kakashi pressed his ear to the door and listened for any sound that might give away what the werewolf was doing. He sighed in defeat after minutes, saying to whoever was listening, “please, don’t shut me out, Iruka.”

He heard shuffling and lifted his head off the door just in time for the brunet to swing it open. Kakashi started. “I just want to help.”

“I know.” Iruka was fully dressed and looked more tired than ever just by the subject of his scar being brought up. “Just drop it, okay?”

Kakashi looked away, his curiosity was high and he wanted to know what happened with that scar for Iruka to be so defensive about it but he didn't want to force Iruka to tell him something that the teacher wasn’t ready to tell him; he had already told Kakashi a lot of personal things that day.

The vampire sighed as he stepped away from the door, “Well, just remember that I'm always here for you, okay?”

Iruka gave him the most sincere, thankful smile, his eyes softening and he let his head fall against the edge of the door, “we should both take a nap. I had a really trying morning and it seems as though you didn't get any sleep.”

The silver-haired man nodded in response and gave Iruka one last look before the brunet closed the door. He trudged off to the kitchen, warming himself a pouch of A positive from the fridge. He downed the whole thing in one ravenous gulp, sat at the table for a couple of moments, letting the hunger wash out of him as well as a splash of fatigue from his sleepless night, and shuffled up the stairs to bed.

He collapsed in a heap on his bed, thinking of what happened with Mizuki. He wondered what they had done with the man and if he was even alive today.

And that scar.

If the wound had left that scar, it must have been pretty deep for the skin to not have regenerated over time. He wondered what could have made a wound like that and how Iruka had survived that blow, including why he got it too.


	16. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, from now on, I will be doing less and less editing to this and simply uploading since I just want to get this up here and out of the way. (I feel bad since this is always on the top of the search tag on the updated side and not any of the other stories that are being uploaded which I encourage everyone to go check out).

                Iruka was awake before Kakashi and sitting down in the living room, watching TV in a pair of his favorite pajama bottoms and white tee. The vampire woke up minutes later and could be heard turning on the shower from downstairs. It was almost five in the afternoon and the brunet sighed at how late he had slept till; he’d only planned to sleep until noon but the stress from the last couple of days had finally caught up with him. Besides, he needed the rest.

                Kakashi could be heard tromping down the stairs and when he came into view, Iruka found him to be thankfully dressed in new clothes unlike how he stayed in the same clothes he wore the past day and a half as well as a sleepless night. The vampire was just pulling on a dark, blue sweater as he came into view when he noticed Iruka on the couch, giving the werewolf an acknowledging smile as he stepped over to the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee; he had had enough blood last night. He grabbed his cup and leaned against the counter, having a thought.

                “Hey,” Iruka twisted his neck back in response to Kakashi who remembered something he had been wondering about since he talked to Genma and Raidō. “I've been wondering; you’re in ANBU but you got beat up by Gen and Rai.”

                “Huh?” the werewolf gave him a questioning look before recognition sparked in him eyes and his cheeks erupted in red. “Oh! Yeah, about that…well, usually we do extraction during the day when people are much more open to talking and we let our extractions feel superior so we don’t seem like a threat because we aren’t. It just so happens that Raidō and Genma were awake already and we weren’t expecting for them to be so violent. That and I am not exactly a fighter.”

                “Ah,” the vampire plopped down next to Iruka on the couch with his cup and took a sip as he motioned towards the werewolf’s newly healed arm, raising an eyebrow in question. “I'm guessing you weren’t expecting the bat, right?”

                “Yeah,” the brunet rubbed the bridge of his nose in embarrassment. “Let’s just say my arm guards are really old. Well, were really old.”

                Kakashi nodded at the words and pursed his lips as Iruka fingered at the brace on his leg.

                To say the least, the tension was so thick you could turn your head and the two would flinch. There was only the low talking on the TV as noise and it stretched on forever until Kakashi down the rest of his cup in one gulp and Iruka spoke, “could you do me a favour?”

                The silver-headed man stood up and headed to the sink to wash out his cup, humming in reply. The brunet watched him as he asked, “well, my uniform was pretty beat up and my armor is out of commission and…well, I kind of can’t go too far and I was wondering if you could go to the armory…”

                “Oh,” Kakashi paused in the washing of his cup and thought it over. “Yeah, I guess I could do that.”

                “Really?” Iruka’s face lit up in surprise and happiness which quickly turned to gratitude. “Thank you so much, Kakashi.”

                The vampire smiled at Iruka’s reaction to his kindness, noting to himself how the brunet’s eyes sparkled in glee and feeling warmth spread in his chest. He should do favours for him more often.

                x-x-x

                Kakashi entered the uniform shop not too long after, the bell dinging with his arrival. He leaped when a woman with huge, round glasses popped out from behind the counter and grinned. “Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.”

                “It’s okay; I just wasn’t expecting that.” the vampire said as he tried to calm his pulse while the woman jumped onto the countertop.

                “So, what’s a non-shinobi doing in my shop?” she leaned down and stared at him comically through her thick glasses that amplified her blue eyes so they looked like saucers. He furrowed his brows, wondering how she knew he wasn’t a shinobi.

                “How did you-?” she cut him off with a flourish of her arm and hopped off the counter to his side.

                “I outfit every single shinobi in the village. So, let’s just say newbies catch my attention. Are you one?” he watched her as she paced around him, looking him up and down up close.

                “Huh?”

                “Guess not…pity,” she mumbled to herself as she shuffled over back to spot of the counter. “So, then watcha here for, boy?”

                “Um,” Kakashi went into his pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper, handing it out to her as she snatched it from his grasp. Her eyes flew over the page that she read up close and sighed once she had finished, crumpling the paper up and hopping off the counter to the back of the store as she mumbled angrily to herself. The vampire watched uneasily the woman muttering to herself as he picked up the crumpled paper off the floor and stuffed it into his pocket.

                “Stupid werewolf, always getting himself hurt. _It’s for the good of others!_ ” she grumbled as she came back through the curtain that separated the shop and behind the store. The last part was a mimic of someone, possibly Iruka. “Huh, my ass is for the good of others.”

The woman groaned and came to Kakashi’s side of the counter, poking at his chest. “So, you’re Iruka’s little tenant, are ya?”

The vampire looked down at her prodding finger as she scanned him with her huge, steel-blue eyes. She cut him off by muttering as she stalked back behind the counter, “now I see why all the young Kunoichi are fawning about him.”

Kakashi ignored her rambling. “So, how do you know Iruka?”

“Ah,” she pulled herself out from beneath the counter with even wider eyes and a box. “I’ve known that boy ever since he was a tiny.”

                She folded the sides of the box to its outer sides and motioned for Kakashi to follow her and her box. They traveled through the slim, back room where a working table sat and the seamstress pushed back the rug to reveal a secret door, making Kakashi wonder briefly if everyone had a secret room in their home. She tugged at the round handle, sliding it up with ease and setting the door down on the ground as she stepped down into the darkness, Kakashi following.

                The room was dark for a few moments before a light was lit and the rows of clothing racks were revealed. They were lined up in a dozen or so columns with their ends welded together and there were over thousands of outfits hanging off them; each different in size, design and color. The stone walls were formed similarly to Iruka’s basement-uneven-and the far wall was decked in shelves that supported even more clothes along with one or two holding some folders and papers.

                The woman waved him along from where she was waiting half way down the middle line and the vampire followed down the path, glancing at the assortment of garments.

                “I first met the squirt when he was around six centuries.” She went on as she open a trunk that was sitting under the shelves, pulling out a pair of pants and a shirt that were ANBU colors. “I was moving to the wind country to become a hermit when I happened to fall upon a little town on the western rim of the fire country. His parents owned an inn and they let me stay for the night.”

                The western rim? Kakashi thought over this information and wondered. Port City was on the western rim, near the ocean. Did that mean Iruka wasn’t born in Port city? He shook it off and grazed his thoughts over how she was going to be a hermit, thinking that this woman was very…eccentric to say the least. The woman continued her tale as she grabbed the clothes she had checked over and shoved them into her box, adding a pair of shoes too. “He was such a cutie when he was younger.”

X_X_X

                Iruka slumped into his chair and waited for the monitors to blink to life, rubbing carefully his wrist which had started to ache from the escapade from his home to the council room on the dreaded crutches. Sarutobi’s weary face appeared after a few moments. “Iruka.”

                “You have news for me, Hokage?” the older man nodded somberly, giving out a sad sigh as he looked Iruka in the eyes.

                “Yes, about the massacre,” The brown eyes closed and the tan face darkened at the topic but Iruka nodded all the same and motioned for the old man to continue. “You asked about the survivors and I informed you the only one was Sasuke, right?”

                “Yes, Sasuke,” Iruka dropped his head into the palm of his unhurt arm that rested on the chair’s arm. “How is he doing?”

                “He’s having a little trouble coping with the tragedy but that’s to be expected from one his age.” Iruka nodded sadly at the truth. “He needs guidance.”

                “Yes, I was expecting that. On less pressing matters,” The young man said to lift the dark atmosphere that had settled upon the room. “I've decided that this year I would attend the festival.”

                Sarutobi’s eyes went wide with astonishment but the brunet ignored the fact and continued. “I think that a break is well in order after what has happened these past few days and it gives me the chance to talk with Sasuke; maybe help him cope.”

                “I agree,” A nod was given in inclination to the statement and Sarutobi’s face went serious again. “Though, I need to know something, Iruka.”

                “Yes?” Iruka took his cheek out of his palm and sat up straighter; an idea of the approaching topic coming to mind.

                “It’s about that young man you’re housing.” Iruka sighed and wouldn’t meet the older man’s eyes as they watched him like a hawk. “How do you feel about him?”

                “He’s my guest,” the werewolf stated as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair at the subject.

                “Yes, I know that but how do you feel about him?” The repetition made Iruka’s eyebrow twitch in annoyance and he looked back up at the monitor with a glare.

                “What if I did feel something for him?” He asked defiantly, dropping his arm to its rest and clenching the edges. A sigh came from the old man in exasperation at the youth’s temper.

                “I just want you to make the right decisions, Iruka.” The huff that the brunet emitted was ignored as Sarutobi looked upon the younger man who crossed his arms and looked to the side, swinging his leg so that the plastic brace rested upon his other knee. Silence prevailed as moments ticked by and the werewolf’s feature softened slowly, dropping his leg back to the floor and loosening his arms and shoulders.

                “I don’t know,” Iruka said softly as he stared at the knee of his hastily thrown on jeans, biting his bottom lip in thought. “To be honest, I really like him but…”

                Iruka sighed as he thought of the incident that had taken place that morning and decided against telling the old man, saying instead, “I don’t know if he even remotely likes me.”

                “My concern was if this little problem is going to turn out like the Mizuki incident.” An irrepressible scoff erupted from the young man.

                “This is nothing like with Mizuki!” Iruka barked before realizing what he did and bit his lip again, looking back into his lap in shame for snapping at his mentor. “I know because I feel different with Kakashi and it is not like how it was with Mizuki. I know now that what I felt for Mizuki was more admiration than anything.”

                He cut his rant short and sighed again as he kept his eyes to his lap where he picked at a tear in the jeans, a light blush dusting his cheeks with the sudden confession of sorts. It was true; he had never felt so much for someone since… he shook his head to clear up his mind of the recurring memories. He voice cracked slightly as he said. “But, like I said before, Kakashi probably doesn’t feel anything for me.”

                The thought seeped into his mind and he squeezed his eyes shut at the tears that had begun to build up in his eyes at the idea that made his heart burn with distress and his throat close up. He looked away as he felt a tear fall and swiped at it angrily, hating to look so helpless in front of the man he looked up to.

                That old man furrowed his brows, remembering the night before how Kakashi was with Iruka during their update and how the vampire had reacted to Iruka’s anger and pain with concern. He wondered briefly why Kakashi was there. Maybe it was out of concern for his wounded friend? The real question to be answered was how much concern was involved.

                “Why don’t you ask him to come with you to Konoha?” Red-rimmed eyes looked up in question at him. “I want to meet him, make an assessment for our records.”

                The werewolf frowned and rubbed at his eyes with his lips turning into a pout. “I don’t see how that’ll-”

                “That issue will have to be dealt with later whether or not you like him; this young man has to be assessed first.” The Hokage dismissed the topic with a wave of his hand. “Now, you’ll be here as soon as that leg heals, right?”

                “I guess,” Iruka mumbled uncertainly as he scratched the side of his head. The old man nodded.

                “Meeting adjourned, then.” The screen went black and Iruka sat there dejectedly in his chair, feeling even more confused than ever. He whispered to no one in particular softly,

                “Adjourned.”

X-X-X

                “I only saw him six hundred years later,” Kakashi looked up as the strange woman came back down from the second floor, a spool of thread and a needle in hand along with a sketch pad.

The things were set down on the counter as the woman slid onto a tall stool and looked sadly down on Kakashi, sighing to herself as she pulled out a shirt from the box and laid it down on the counter. The vampire’s heart dropped and he reached out to touch the material, feeling the lumps of padding underneath. The two’s eyes met as Kakashi looked up and the woman nodded sadly. “Iruka was always thin but he really went downhill a couple years back.”

“After Mizuki?” Kakashi asked as he kept his sad gaze on the clothes. He hadn’t seen how thin Iruka really was earlier that day and now that he noticed the padding under the thin shirt he felt a discomfort pull at his stomach as his throat tightened. Iruka had to be really thin to fit into that…

“Yeah,” the seamstress bent her head to and took the needle and thread, finishing the seam at the bottom. She had it done swiftly after and grinned at the vampire, flipping to a page in her sketchbook and showing it to him. “What do you think?”

“Wow,” the vampire felt his jaw drop as he studied the detailed drawing. It was a model of the ANBU armour on a faceless person. Though, unlike Iruka’s it was an updated version. The arm guards were on the side instead of on top of the forearm like Iruka’s and the torso’s protection was composed of one piece instead of two. There was even a new scarf tied around the model’s neck.

“That part will be like a chain mail except it won’t make as much noise and it will be much more tightly woven together.” She motioned to the torso protection. “It’s even much more durable too than a chain mail. It’s also much more versatile than the last model. There’s more coverage and easier to put on too.”

Kakashi nodded thoughtfully as he noticed the different style in the boots and the bandages around the biceps. He glanced up to find her staring at him and he raised an eyebrow. “I’d love to use you as a model.”

She hopped slipped around the counter and started incessantly poking and prodding at his arm. “Do you work out?”

Minutes later, Kakashi scurried out to the door and the seamstress handed him the box. “So, here are Iruka’s clothes and shoes. I've already sent the schematics to the armoury and his parts will be finished soon.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” the vampire gave her a gracious smile as thanks and she smiled back.

“You can call me Hitome.” She took off her glasses to shake his hand and when he looked at her, he didn't see an old woman like he’d expected; he saw instead a young girl perhaps five to ten hundred years older than he was. He shook her hand awkwardly due to not only the box but his disbelief in her age. Though, she talked as if she was older than him.

‘Well,’ he thought confusedly as he walked away from the shop. ‘She’s….odd,’

                x-X-x

“Can we eat out tonight?”

“Huh?” Iruka looked up from the bill he was reading at the little table in the kitchen at the vampire who had recently entered the apartment with the box of clothes, setting the box down on the sofa as he passed it. The werewolf had just returned home and was going to start working on the bills when his guest bust in through the door.

“Can we go to a restaurant or something?” Kakashi repeated, imposing a mission on himself to get some meat on Iruka since the guy was almost anorexic in size (he had also noticed due to Hitome’s comment on the way that he too was slowly losing muscle mass and was determined to get back into shape again, promising to himself he’d find a way to work out).

Iruka furrowed his brows and thought for a moment. Why did Kakashi want to go out all of a sudden?

‘Maybe this is his way of asking you out…’ the naïve part of his brain supplied but the thought was quickly shaken away. The gloomy side responded, ‘Yeah, right, he’s probably in the mood for some fancy restaurant because you can’t cook for shit!’

“Sure, I guess,” a grin was given in return for the approval.

X-X-X

“So, about Hitome…” Kakashi took another bite of his hamburger and Iruka glanced up expectantly from the platter of food Kakashi had brought back from the buffet for him which was piled high with the most fattening foods he had ever laid eyes on. He smiled and laughed shakily.

“She’s very eccentric, right?” the werewolf poked absentmindedly at the leaning tower of calories. A nod was the response and Kakashi went on.

“How old is she?” An amused smile erupted from Iruka.

“Well, I don’t know her exact age but she’s at least forty centuries older than us.” Kakashi chocked on his food. He coughed for a few moments as Iruka looked upon worriedly; unsure whether to help the vampire.

“Really?!” Said vampire looked up disbelievingly, his face red from the coughing. Iruka nodded matter-of-factly once he found Kakashi to be okay, sipping a strawberry milkshake. “How can that be?”

“Do you remember Tsunade, the miracle medic?” Kakashi nodded, confused. “Well, she learned more from her than how to treat patients.”

“So, not only is she a seamstress but she’s a nurse as well?” The question was answered with a simple ‘yup’.

As the vampire contemplated the new information Iruka bit his lip and his mind wandered back to the last half an hour. “Kakashi?”

“Hm?” Kakashi had gone back to nibbling on his fries as Iruka slowly pushed his plate away to see the vampire better, leaning his head on his hand.

“Well, while you were with Hitome, the Hokage requested a meeting with me.” The werewolf looked up from the table for a response and continued when he found no reaction. “This city’s doing pretty well and he wants me to come back to Konoha…”

That’s when a reaction was found. Silver brows furrowed and bi colored eyes looked at the table for a few moments before looking back up at Iruka, “So, you’re leaving?”

“Yes, I'm leaving Monday. I’ll be completely healed by then.” The werewolf’s voice was steady as he watched Kakashi’s emotions play in his eyes; confusion and others settling into despondency.

“How long will you be gone?”

“I don’t know, it depends.” Kakashi’s face darkened as he felt his heart raced frantically in his chest at the thought of Iruka leaving and not coming back. He honestly didn't want the werewolf to go but he didn't have any good reason except the selfish ones. He not only needed Iruka to teach him about the ANBU world but because he didn't feel right with just the thought of Iruka not being around; it made him sick to think the werewolf was leaving.

Iruka bit his lip before taking a deep breath that caught Kakashi’s attention. “So, that’s why I want to know if you would like to come with me or not.”

Disbelief crossed Kakashi’s face for the second time that night and he grinned happily, his pulse returning to normal and his shoulders relaxing. “I’d love to.”

 


	17. Chapter 16

“Are we there yet?” Iruka sighed for the millionth time that day as Kakashi repeated the same question again. The vampire had been doing so the past two hours, testing how long it would take from the werewolf to burst. The brunet stopped abruptly faced him, spinning around but, to Kakashi’s surprise, didn't yell at him. Kakashi’s eyes met with a stern face and crossed arms. No wonder Iruka was such a good teacher; he had enough patience to put up with such shenanigans.

They both had left three days ago from the city with their packs, carrying food and a couple pair of clothes and leaving behind everything else except essentials like Iruka’s new ANBU uniform and armour that was tucked at the very bottom of his pack.

Hitome had brought over the new garb over that Monday before they set off and she and the vampire admired the werewolf when he came out of his room in them. He looked good; really good actually. Kakashi had to check that he wasn’t drooling over the sight that made Iruka looked perfect, hugging in all the right places to accentuate how slim he was (despite the padding that made Kakashi’s stomach queasy). It was certainly better than his old one.

The seamstress wasn’t the only one to visit though; Izumo, Kotetsu, Genma, Raidō, Asuma and Anko all turned up over the days between Thursday and Monday. They all came to wish them luck on their journey and tell them they’d see them at the festival since it was such a big event. It turned out that most of them lived permanently in Konoha (except for Genma and Raidō) but came to solve the shinobi problem and that Izumo and Kotetsu were returning home before the festival for good.

“Are you done yet?” Kakashi tapped his chin with a finger and pretended to think before snapping his attention back to Iruka.

 “Probably not,” the response came with a Cheshire grin. The only answer Kakashi received was an annoyed sigh and the werewolf walked away; purposefully not retorting, knowing that it only egged Kakashi on with his responses. The vampire frowned at Iruka’s back and adjusted the belt around his waist; the katana that hung off it swaying as he did so.

The weapon, as Iruka said, needed to be brought and that it would look odd if Iruka had it and someone non-ANBU came upon them. So, it was now Kakashi’s duty to safeguard it.

He grabbed the blade to stop it from swaying and glanced down at it. He hadn’t overlooked the fact that it was the katana he had cleaned while waiting for Iruka to come back from Genma and Raidō’s extraction. He wondered why Iruka wanted to bring it. The vampire brushed the thought aside for now as he followed after the brunet; just another mystery of Umino Iruka.

X-X-X

“Hey, Iruka?” Iruka looked back at his companion, eyebrow raised.

“Yeah?”

“Well,” Kakashi pursed his lips in hesitation. This probably wasn’t going to turn out well but… he was just so bored. “Are we there yet?”

He flinched away when the werewolf stopped and faced him; the brunet was bound to snap but Kakashi wanted to test how far that patience could go, betting that this time that fiery temper would show itself. Instead, the teacher’s face was blank. Kakashi felt himself relax and he let himself breathe normally as he found himself safe from the brunet’s wrath.

Or not.

Iruka’s face went still as did his whole body before heat began to rise behind his cheeks; eyes narrowed as his shoulders bunched up around his ears, getting ready to blow before…

He turned around and walked off, leaving Kakashi standing there. The vampire was left confused as he watched Iruka until the werewolf passed under a shadow in the trees and suddenly disappeared. Grey and red eyes widened. “I-Iruka?”

A few panicked moments went by as Kakashi waited for the brunet to return but nothing came. The assassin felt cold sweat tingle the back of his neck. Did Iruka leave him here? Had he gone too far?

Hesitant steps forward were taken until Kakashi broke into a walk that quickened into a jog. “Iruka!”

He was nearing the shadowy part where Iruka had vanished when something dropped down from the tree tops, causing Kakashi’s instincts to react by moving himself out of the way.

 It was Iruka.

The vampire sighed in relief and was about to ask why when he noticed how Iruka was no longer wearing his jeans and sweatshirt. Instead, full ANBU regalia covered him; mask hanging from his utility belt which he adjusted around his waist. “In answer to your question, Kakashi; yes, we are here. Well, almost…”

A smile was given for Kakashi’s awed expression that switched into a grin. “Heh, sorry about bugging you.”

The werewolf’s face went still and he said darkly, “do that again and I swear to whatever gods there are out there that I’ll make you regret it.”

Kakashi went rigid when he heard the threat and was left confused when the brunet simply smiled happily at him, trotting away.

Over the few minutes it took for them to reach the main gate of the city, Kakashi watched as Iruka’s composure fell from his silent-formal state into something that resembled a nervous fish.  It started when he began to bite his lip absent-mindedly and then it grew; hands twitching at his sides, biting his nails (hard to do with gloves on), not looking where he was going and almost bumping into a tree in the process but narrowly avoided it with Kakashi’s help.

Kakashi stepped out of the brush onto a dirt road that led to the tallest gates he had ever seen that were over wide to reveal busy people milling about between tall buildings that just peaked over the gates. Glancing back, he found Iruka to be nowhere in sight. Panic coursed through him momentarily as the thought came that the werewolf had left for real this time, swivelling his head around to find the brunet still in the shade of the trees. The werewolf was biting his lip lightly as he gazed uncertainly as the road before them, gripping the tree next to him for support as he shuffled his feet hesitantly.

“Iruka?” said young man glanced up but when he was met with a questioning look, he dropped his eyes to the ground. “You okay?”

Russet eyes squeezed shut as a shaky breath was taken. Iruka opened his eyes again and gave Kakashi a bright smile that the vampire knew was a fake but didn't ask. He already guessed that the teacher’s reluctance had to do with going back to Konoha but he didn't press the matter.

The brunet stepped out into the road but wavered for a few moments before he nodded to himself and lifted his arm out, holding his hand open as if asking for something. Looking cautiously at the hand and back up at Iruka, Kakashi raised an eyebrow; the actions causing Iruka to sigh exasperatedly. “It would be nice to have my katana back,”

The vampire’s face broke out into understanding and went to his belt, untying the beautiful weapon and reluctantly handing it to the ANBU who tied it into his own higher-quality, utility belt. He had almost forgotten the blade was there; it was as if it belonged there. He used to have a katana for his assassination jobs for the Council and it had been his favorite weapon….until it broke that is. Maybe he could get one of his own in Konoha… The vampire dropped the thought. He would have no need for one unless he was going to be a shinobi.

Kakashi glanced up and watched in amazement as Iruka’s tail and ears slipped out. He couldn’t put down the fact that it gave him chills every time Iruka changed; whether halfway or completely. The werewolf simply looked innocently cute with his black ears poking out at the top.

Though, Kakashi’s amazement soon turned to concern as they started down the last stretch of road. Iruka had slipped the mask on and went almost completely silent after emotionlessly stating they were going to go to the Hokage’s mansion first. The walk was quiet but Kakashi could feel the anxiety rippling off his companion in waves.

They made it to the gates and went through them with no problem; not like when he first met Izumo and Kotetsu. Iruka gave the uniformed guards on duty a curt nod and received a respectful one in return as they continued on their way.

The sheer number of people astounded Kakashi as they walked through the streets, heading for a large, round building near the right edge of the city that could be seen over the roof tops.

 It would have been hard to navigate the streets but the crowd before them split when they saw Iruka coming and stopped chatting amongst themselves for a few moments before they restarted again but with a smile on their faces; a sudden burst of excitement passing through the crowd. Some waved to Iruka and shouted greetings as children watched open-mouthed as Iruka passed but the werewolf only reacted with small, respectful nods. A number of people noticed Kakashi, waving to him too and he meekly gave a small wave in return.

The total diversity was remarkable; he had never seen so many shifters, werewolves, vampires and humans getting along so well. The way they looked was quite…notable as well. All different types of styles, shapes and sizes were present and the oddest thing Kakashi found was that the shifters had proudly morphed their features in exotic and outlandish ways he had never seen before. Some had changed their eyes to shocking neon colors while others had their skin turned into scales; like a fish’s.

The werewolves and vampires too proclaimed their race by letting everything hang out so to speak. Werewolves’ tails and ears happily stood out as vampires bared their fangs for the whole city to see without the hunger for blood present.

The new culture was starting to give Kakashi whiplash. In the Council’s rule, vampires were not allowed to show their fangs and vice versa for shifters as well. It was said to be disrespectful but here…everyone seemed okay with the fact they were all different and the new colors were starting to make his head hurt…

He was glad to have an eye covered by his hair.

He smiled.

Iruka felt a brow twitch behind his mask. He had glanced back during their walk to find that all the women (and on occasion men) waving and batting their eyes at his vampiric friend when they passed. The worst was that Kakashi was giving them small, timid waves back. It ticked Iruka off slightly to know they had his attention. He had to be honest with himself; it pissed him off a lot.

So, that was the reason he picked up his pace and moved faster until he had to call back to the silver-headed man whose pace was too slow for his liking. “Kakashi! Come on, we don’t have all day!”

Kakashi dropped the hand that was mid-wave and hurried to catch up with his guide. He watched as Iruka’s hand balled into fists and wondered what had the brunet so riled up.

x-x-x

“Come in,”

Iruka and Kakashi stood in front of the double-door entrance that led to the Hokage’s office. It took them a total of ten minutes to navigate Konoha's streets until they finally came up to the tall, red building and climbed the steps inside to the second floor.

The werewolf pushed open the doors with no effort and stepped inside the bright room. The old man sat at a desk that faced away from the stretch of windows that looked over the city. Iruka stepped in front of the desk and gave a polite bow and Kakashi followed suite out of respect.

“Wolf,” the old man bowed his head to the ANBU founder and turned his piercing gaze to the vampire that wavered in the eye contact. “And this must be Hatake Kakashi.”

“Yes, sir,” Iruka nodded as Kakashi opened his mouth to introduce himself. Snapping his lips shut, he waited for the Hokage to say something as he was scanned by the old man’s calculating stare. The glare caused tension to clamp up Kakashi’s limbs and sweat trickled down his back with the stare that just wouldn’t falter.

“I-it’s a pleasure to meet you, sir,” Kakashi finally stuttered out after a few agonizingly edgy seconds. With those words, the Hokage’s eyes softened and he gave Kakashi a light smile.

“It’s good to finally meet you too, Kakashi,” Iruka felt his heart soar with Sarutobi’s smile. It wasn’t approval that graced the old man’s features but respect nonetheless.

x-X-x

“Wait here, okay?” Iruka said to the vampire as he slipped into the room next to the Hokage’s. The rest of the meeting had gone uneventful with Sarutobi handing over the key to Iruka’s place and Iruka stating he would begin working again on Friday. Kakashi now stood in the hall, waiting for Iruka to slip back out and lead the way.

Iruka flung his backpack onto the wooden bench in the center of the room and stepped over it to the far wall where his locker stood sealed and waiting for him. All the other lockers that lined the walls seemed to have been used except his; it had been at least fifty years, after all.

He grabbed a kunai from his holster and swiftly slit open the protective plastic that kept his locker and its content from the outside, twirling the dial on his lock with ease that only came with experience and flipping the door open.

No dust flew out and no smell assaulted his senses. Iruka was glad that the third had done him this small kindness after he left; sealing up his locker was a small deed in itself but a deed all the same.

He morphed back into his human form; his tail slipping away and his ears going back to hiding. The werewolf slid out of his ANBU gear and back into his normal clothes; it was a tradition to greet a Kage in uniform after a long time away. Being the highly trained ANBU he was he had already noticed that someone was in the adjoining room that kept all of ANBU’s secret files. It was the reason he wasn’t surprised to find Ibiki stroll out of the room and lock it behind him with the same ease Iruka used to open his lock.

“So, how long have you been back?” Iruka asked as he slipped into sweatshirt he had been wearing before for the journey to Konoha and hung his mask and gear in the locker, closing and locking the door only to find Ibiki was staring at him; eyes looking at him in a manner that was apprehensive but speculative as well. “What?”

“Why did you come back?” the hand that Iruka had on his locker drifted down from its spot and Iruka debated what to answer; his gaze falling slowly to the tiled floor.

“I needed to come home.” Iruka looked up as the interrogator scoffed at the statement.

“You shouldn’t have left in the first place, then,” the taller werewolf’s eyes had hardened as he spoke but seeing Iruka’s reaction made them lose a little of the exasperation in them. The testimony was a low blow on the man’s part but he didn't regret saying it; no matter how pained Iruka’s expression became. Iruka needed to learn to get over the incident one way or another and to stop blaming himself for what happened. Ibiki had been part of the Base Nine and had known Iruka ever since; he didn't want to see a replay happen. “Why did you bring him here? You should have left him in the Sixth,”

“The Hokage wanted to meet him,” Iruka’s eyes had glazed over, indicating the lie.

“We both know that’s not true,” the bald man waited for a response but continued when he received none. “I just don’t want it to happen again.”

The brunet scoffed in contempt at those words, turning his head to look off to the side as she set his jaw. “Gods, I've heard that so much lately,”

“It’s because we care about you,” Iruka broke out into laughter that time and whipped away at imaginary tears.

“What? You think I'm going to go psycho just because I like some guy,” the younger man realized his mistake after the words left his lips and he pressed them shut swiftly as Ibiki’s eyes became dark.

“Iruka-” the brunet squeezed his eyes shut and cut the taller off.

“It’s different this time, okay?” the werewolf bit his lip and willed away the blush that was threatening-and winning-to paint his cheeks. “I didn't feel this way about Mizuki,”

“Besides, it’s not like I'm going to tell him any time soon so,” The blush covered his whole face and he bit his lip, rubbing the scar on his nose in agitation until he noticed the file in Ibiki’s hands. Dropping his hand and the blush disappearing, he had just enough time to read the file’s name before the interrogator slid it into the fold of his black, leather, trench coat; Hatake Kakashi. “I don’t remember that file…”

“Thank Aoba,” Ibiki stated as he turned to leave.

“Ibiki?” the master interrogator stopped with his hand on the door knob to leave the ANBU changing room, glancing back at his leader to find the werewolf’s eyes cast to the floor. “Don’t tell anyone, okay? A-about how I feel about K-”

“You should have more faith in your subordinates,”

X-x-X

Kakashi’s head snapped up and found Ibiki coming out of the room; half expecting it to be Iruka. The vampire’s visible eye lit up with recognition as he remembered Ibiki from the book about ANBUs in Iruka’s basement also known as Vulture in ANBU. He was given a nod of respect and he returned it, watching the man in the black trench coat disappear down the hall.

While his attention was elsewhere, he only noticed Iruka when the werewolf was right next to him asking, “Ready?”

“Oh, yeah…” Kakashi whipped his head back around to find a tired looking brunet looking at him with glassy eyes; the backpack seemingly huge on him and weighing down a ton. He opened his mouth to ask what happened but the teacher beat him to it.

“Let’s go then,” Iruka walked away, leaving him wondering but he kept his silence; it seemed Iruka didn't want to talk about it.

Walking through the village again turned out to be even more interesting than before. The sun was beginning to set and the whole village was lit with streetlamps, lighting the streets that were still filled with people; some happy and drunk while others went on with their business. People’s faces were lit with the sun’s setting rays and some of the shifters starting to glow. As they made their way through the village, Kakashi watched the sun set and felt a little bit of sadness poke at his heart; he never got to bring Iruka to the edge of the cliff in the last city.

His thoughts fell when Iruka stopped at a small townhouse squished between two other identical ones; the house itself was built in dark, red bricks and the number on the side near the door read fifty-seven. There was no yard in the front but Kakashi could bet his ducky boxers that there was a small yard in the back with maybe a balcony looking over it. He stepped forward but stopped when Iruka didn't follow.

He looked back to find Iruka gripping the straps of his backpack tightly as he kept his eyes to the ground; brows furrowed. He was hesitating again. Kakashi looked at the home and back at Iruka; realization falling on him like a ton of bricks. Iruka and Mizuki had lived here.

He was going to suggest they stay somewhere else when Iruka squeezed the straps in his grip tighter and took a deep breath, steeling himself as he headed to the door and unlocked the door quickly; this day was going to come sooner or later and, as they always say, better sooner than later. He needed to get this over with anyway. The door slowly swung open to reveal Iruka’s old apartment and the duo stepped inside; Iruka flicking the lights on as he went.

Compared to Iruka’s last place, this one looked much more inhibited if you ignored the inches of dust covering everything. The layout was a lot like the last, though; front door opening to the living room which moved on to the kitchen. The stairs were different though; they were on the right side of the home instead of the left and its iron steps twisted upward instead of just moving straight up to the second floor.

There were a lot of books; not many, a lot and they were strewn all over the place. On the book shelves that stood on either side of the TV set; on the glass coffee table sitting in front of the TV; stacked high near the staircase and black, leather couch. Apparently, Iruka liked to read.

The owner moved to the center of the room in front of the coffee table and rubbed the scar across his nose as a blush crept up his cheeks when he dropped his backpack on the couch; dust erupting up, “sorry about the dust; I haven’t been here in a while.”

“It’s okay,” Kakashi went to the front windows and unlocked them, opening them wide so that air could be let in. “we’ll just have to leave the windows open for the night; there’s a nice breeze outside.”

Iruka smiled at his logic and motioned for him to follow, climbing the stairs that made noises as if he was climbing iron bars on a playground jungle gym. Kakashi tailed the werewolf to find the second floor. There were three bedrooms in total; Iruka’s, the study and the guest bedroom which was to be his. Iruka opened the first door to the right, “here’s your room.”

The sandy-colored room was larger than Kakashi’s last with a queen size bed pressed up against the far wall and corner and had enough room to move within the chamber without hitting it. A plain, white dresser lay opposite the bed with a desk sitting right beneath the window, facing the door. The teacher stepped into the room and opened the window too, sliding open the drawers on the dresser and motioned inside them to the disorganized mess inside.

“Well, there are some clothes in here but for you but I don’t know if they’ll fit you.” Iruka’s eyes lingered on the clothes for a few moments longer than necessary and Kakashi felt himself frown; there was a pretty good chance that this used to be Mizuki’s room and those were his old clothes. Iruka simply looked up at him and smiled, “feel free to throw them out if you want.”

The werewolf brushed passed him and Kakashi stepped into his new room, dropping his bag on the bed and pulling out a shirt from a drawer of the dresser. He held the shirt out and took stock of it, feeling his chest puff out with pride and a small smile gracing his lips when he saw that the shirt was a size too small. Either Mizuki wasn’t as physically defined as Kakashi was or he just really liked tight shirts. The vampire hoped it was the latter.

Iruka, on the other hand, wasn’t feeling so good about himself. Step one; take the handle; complete. Step two was where he was having trouble. He really wanted to open the door to his old room but something was holding him back. He clutched the handle tightly and willed his body to put pressure on it. Somehow, he managed to do that and found himself looking upon his old room for the first time in over fifty years.

Nothing much had changed since that last time; his bed resting against the right wall and the dresser to his left; double doors on the far wall leading to the balcony. His bureau was on the left wall between the corner and the door to his personal bathroom; the room that he dreaded more than this one.

Iruka bit his lip; he could do this, it was just a room, right? All he had to do was open the balcony door then he could leave to find something to eat for supper. It seemed so simple but he was left standing in the doorway. Hanging his head, he gave the room his back and went back downstairs.

Kakashi saw Iruka pass by his door and poked his head out of the room to see Iruka descending the stairs. The vampire strode out of his room and was about to follow when something caught his eye; Iruka’s room. Curious, Kakashi walked on over and entered the light grey room. He glanced over hardwood floors and saw the dust bunnies were even more accumulated in this room. That was odd. Iruka had come from the direction of this room but hadn’t gone in? Going over to the balcony doors, he pulled them open and stepped out to look down upon a little yard; just like he expected. He was about to leave when he saw the door.

It understood now; that was the bathroom in which Mizuki bit Iruka; where the brunet almost died.

x-x-x

The duo went out that night to eat due to the lack of food in the cupboards and fridge. Kakashi noticed as they eat how Iruka picked at the food and eventually pushed his plate away but he didn't say anything; he didn't want to make the brunet uncomfortable.

They ended up back at the house anyway and Iruka found himself again standing in the doorway of his own room. He took a jump of faith (after five minutes of just standing there) and marched into the room, dropping his backpack that he brought from upstairs on his bed. He saw the balcony was open and felt himself calm down a bit. Apparently Kakashi had open the doors for him and the werewolf recalled what Kakashi had said when he saw the scar on the teacher’s back; _‘I just want to help’_.

Iruka smiled to himself; it seemed Kakashi was trying to live up to the statement.

 _You can’t help me,_ Iruka thought. _Not unless you can go back in time._

The werewolf shook his covers free of dust before padding to the hall in favour of the main bathroom; not his own. Minutes later, he was back in his room under the covers, trying to ignore the strong presence at his feet to get some sleep.

Kakashi’s order was about the same except for the hesitation and he was left in bed staring at the ceiling. There was just one thing that was bugging him.

He slipped out of bed and padded down the steps in his boxers carefully as to not wake his host until he reached the basement. This basement, though, was not like the last one he had seen. It was large and seemed to stretch on under the yard with a pool table in the center of the laminated, hardwood flooring.

“Wow,” Kakashi couldn’t help but drool as he admired the display of weapons hanging on the wall. There was no reason to hide them, after all; there were so many shinobi in the village. He shook his head and got down to business, looking for a secret room. He search high and low all over the awesome room but there were no secret levers, passages or hidden doors of any kind. He sighed and headed back upstairs with a long yawn. He was starting to get sleepy from all the walking they did that day.

He flopped down on his bed and he dropped off into sleep as soon as he got comfy.

x_x_x

He bolted up. Something woke him…but he couldn’t remember what it was…

An ear piercing scream jolted Kakashi completely awake and he sprung out of bed in alarm. Where did that come from? He flung open the door to his room and listened, waiting for any noise.

He finally picked up another noise-a sob this time, coming from down the hall; Iruka.

Kakashi bolted to the room by instinct and almost slammed into the werewolf’s door before freezing and ripping the door open. His suspicion was confirmed when he found Iruka curled up on his side, trying to supress a sob as he hugged his blankets tight to his chest. Kakashi went up to the bed to find Iruka’s eyes squeezed shut and his brows furrowed, sweat beading on his forehead and his breathing irregular. It was a nightmare.

Uncertain of what to do, the vampire gently laid a hand on the brunet’s arm and the reaction was instantaneous. Iruka bolted up, startling Kakashi in the process; his blankets forsook as he stared with wide, vacant eyes at nothing in particular with an eerily relaxed face.

“Iruka?” Kakashi asked tentatively as he watched the younger man’s head slowly slid down; his eyes unblinking. Bringing a hand up, the vampire waved it in front of Iruka’s eyes and got no reaction; he was still half asleep. He spoke softly, “Iruka, you need to go back to sleep.”

The teacher’s head slowly turned and eyes, still glossy, moved up to stare at the door to the bathroom. Kakashi saw the move and gently placed a hand on Iruka’s shoulder, whispering soothingly, “he’s not here, Iruka. He can’t hurt you.”

The vampire gently guided the werewolf back so that Iruka was lying back down and the auburn orbs slowly fell shut. Kakashi slowly lifted his hand to the brunet’s face and brushed a few stand of the loose hair out of Iruka’s face; the werewolf’s nose wrinkling. He wondered how soft Iruka’s forehead felt and bent down to brush his lips against the tan skin; Iruka felt softer than silk.

Straightening up, Kakashi glanced at the door and frowned. This thing was really bothering Iruka but he didn't know how to help. He sighed in frustration and took on last look at Iruka before leaving only to freeze in the doorway when he heard Iruka softly mumble out something. It was so light Kakashi almost missed it but it was heard loud and clear.

“Naruto.”


	18. Chapter 17

Kakashi had been up for a while now, sitting at the table in the kitchen and doing nothing but thinking. He’d had a hard time last night in the sleep department, what with the nightmare incident with Iruka. It had left him wondering.

Naruto; the name Iruka had whispered so lightly with such a sad voice in his sleep last night.

Kakashi had spun around to find a tear slipping down the soft cheek that was pressed up against the thick curl of blankets in Iruka’s grasp. The vampire had slowly crept back to the werewolf and brushed away the tear running down the delicate cheek, retracting his hand when the brunet titled his head up into the touch. He had bolted from the scene, taking care not to wake Iruka as he hopped back into bed and tried to get some sleep.

He had stayed up until at least midnight, thinking and wondering who Naruto was; another one of Iruka’s old boyfriends, a family member, an old teacher of his maybe? He had given up as he drifted into sleep after going over all the possibilities.

Now, though, it was starting to scratch at him again.

Who was Naruto?

X_X_X

Iruka yawned and rolled over in bed, shivering when a cold chill ran over his skin. He peered out through half-lidded eyes to find the sun shining brightly through the balcony doors, looking over to see that the blanket was all bunched up on the other side of the bed. The covers were dragged back over and he wrapped himself in them when his eyes caught on the door, the bathroom door.

That’s right. He had had a nightmare last night and he remembered most of it in painful detail.

The starting was fuzzy as he only remembered being in his bathroom again, standing in front of the mirror. All of a sudden, hands reached out from the darkness of the shadows behind him. Iruka felt panic soar through him as he was grabbed and pulled back into the shadows that shouldn't have been there.

He struggled against the man who had his arms around the brunet’s chest, kicking and punching at whatever to get free, determined not to let the memory repeat again. A searing pain made his eyes widened more in agony than in shock. It was as if someone had taken scorching hot rods and drove them into his neck and shoulder. He heard someone scream and he only realized after a few moments that it came from his own lips.

He felt the blood being pulled from his body like the last time and his strikes against the aggressor slowed, eventually tapering down to nothing as he felt them grow heavy, falling slack against his sides. The man behind him sensed that his blood source was going on empty and let Iruka drop to the floor. The teacher flopped to the tiles, having not enough energy to catch himself before he hit. He hardly even felt the blow to his cheek that he knew would leave a bruise later until minutes after the dark figure drunkenly staggered out of the room, disappearing from view and leaving Iruka to bleed all over the white floor.

Iruka couldn’t get up. He tried to, he really did but he simply didn't have enough strength to move any of his limbs. His attempts were pitiful and his shaking limbs only made it under him until he collapsed in exhaustion from the effort.

Lying on the floor, he watched as blood slowly trickled into his vision and then the memory in the dream blended with another as he felt a soft, velvety voice whisper his name, the world shifting in a whirl of motion that made him feel sick. He blinked and moved his vision up to find a short character standing in the doorway, staring down at him with sad, blue eyes that pleaded for the teacher’s help. A thought came to the werewolf’s blurred mind. The boy looked exactly like he did in 5773…

Mouth gaping open, Iruka tried with all his might to reach out to the boy turned and walked away, leaving Iruka lying in a pool of his own blood. The brunet finally got his vocals back just as the boy left the room. He barely managed a whisper of the boy’s name that didn't even catch the blonde’s attention and he felt a tear slide down his cheek as he watched the boy go for the second time, his heart cracking again.

Iruka couldn’t remember what happened after that in the dream but it was clear in his mind how it had went in real life except for the last part. He pushed the thought away and gave the door to the bathroom an angry glare. The fear that had so easily swept over him last night dispersed into resentment as his rage grew. He had enough with this fear.

He jumped out of bed and stalked to the door, grabbing the handle and ripping the door open as he decided he wouldn't let Mizuki's memory win. Iruka sucked in a deep breath when he found the bathroom….

Exactly as it was before the incident….

Iruka silently cursed himself for being such a pussy. What had he been expecting, Mizuki to jump out? That was probably one of the most stupid statements ever; the vampire-human was in jail, after all. He felt a weight lift off his shoulders and he felt a lot better. Now, he could hardly remember why he had been so scared in the first place.

x-x-x

Kakashi glanced up as he heard Iruka pad down the stairs. He reflexively stood from his seat as Iruka reached the last couple of steps and froze when his eyes lightened upon his host.

“Good morning,” the werewolf greeted with a strained grin. There were dark circles under his eyes and Kakashi could see his eye lids droop down, the teacher moving to rub the sleep out of his eyes with a yawn. Kakashi briefly wondered if Iruka remembered his nightmare or him trying to help the teacher.

“Sleep well?” It was a simple question but Iruka paused mid-stretch at the bottom of the stairs.

“I woke you up, didn't I?” Iruka’s face had darkened as he let his arms fall by his sides again.

“What makes you say that?”

“You wouldn't have asked,” there was a long pause in the exchange and the two traded obviously suspicious looks at each other until Iruka broke the heavy silence with a sigh and unconsciously brought a hand to the bridge of his nose. “I'm sorry that I woke you up.”

“It’s okay, I wasn't sleeping well either.” The statement wasn't a complete lie but it wasn't the truth either. Iruka took that account as a means for the end of their conversation and proceeded to the kitchen area behind Kakashi, filling a glass of water and taking a large gulp before placing down on the counter next to the sink. The vampire glanced back to find Iruka gripping the sides of the sink with a pensive but troubled look on his face as he stared down into the drain.

“Did I say anything?” the brunet neither looked up or moved from his position and waited for Kakashi to answer.

“You screamed,” Kakashi said softly as he debated whether to ask about ‘Naruto’. It must have been a private matter if Iruka hadn't mentioned him before. Neither of Iruka’s friends had mentioned him too. Either they had no clue who was Naruto or they just didn't want to bring him up. “That’s what woke me up.”

“Oh, that’s it?” Iruka anxiously waited for another response, biting his lip when Kakashi sucked in a sharp breath and asked.

“Who is Naruto?”

The room was quiet as Kakashi watched the brunet’s face go still and he waited for Iruka to respond but got none as Iruka remained motionless. The silence stretched on with the vampire beginning to feel uneasy about his host’s silence. He made his way gently to the werewolf’s side until he was standing next to the spaced out teacher. He lightly touched Iruka on the shoulder, “Iruka?”

The reaction to the touch was immediate. Iruka flinched away from the touch and took a deep breath, coming back into reality as he fumbled with the edges of his shirt and tried to put space between himself and Kakashi. “I'm fine."

“You don’t look fine,” Kakashi grasped lightly at Iruka’s wrist and gave a small, pleading tug as Iruka tried not to meet Kakashi’s eyes, keeping them on everywhere but him.

“Please, Kakashi, I don’t want to talk about it.” The silver-headed man received a beseeching look from the brunet and hesitated before releasing his grip on the younger man, watching as Iruka quickly and quietly put away his glass and retreaded upstairs.

That had been a bad idea and Kakashi regretted asking. Not only did he feel bad about bringing up another bad memory to the surface for Iruka but he could tell that he had created a large gap between them. The werewolf felt farther than ever.

X-x-X

They were all staring. To say the least, it was very hard to not be bothered by the two dozen round and wide eyes that were staring at them in disbelief.

To put a little bit of light on the situation, it was a little before lunch. Kakashi and Iruka were currently standing in the doorway of a room at the academy in Konoha. After their little spat that morning, Iruka had come back downstairs and told him he was going to visit his old class, saying that Kakashi should get dressed if he wanted to come along. The offer from the less-taut-than-earlier was not refused as one could see.

A moment of silence ran through the class for several minutes until it was finally broken by a little girl near the back.

“IT’S IRUKA-SENSEI!!!” With those words, the class broke out into smiles and they all dashed to the front, piling onto the brunet who was smiling down at the class of little werewolves and vampires with a look of pure bliss on his face. They all scrambled for his attention, tugging on the leg of his pants as they began to blabber the events that had taken place over the years since the teacher’s departure and Iruka simply took it all in stride. He gave each of them a hug as the present teacher came and greeted Iruka.

As they talked, Kakashi stood in the doorway, looking upon the scene with a light smile on his place as he saw how happy Iruka was to be amongst the younger population of Konoha. 

He felt a little out of place. Shifting in the doorway, he turned his attention to the class room and noted that it was much more modern than the one in the last city. The desks were longer and the class was made like a stadium with a new row on each step as the steps got higher, finishing on the fifth row at the back.

All the students had gathered near ‘Iruka-Sensei’ except for one lone student in the last column on the fourth row. The little boy was sitting with his cheek on his fist, looking gloomily down at the display of affection going on at the front of the class. It crested Kakashi’s interest. Was this Sasuke? The last Uchiha that was loyal to Konoha?

He discreetly made sure his hair was still covering his red eye.

The child looked up at him with bored eyes without moving his head as Kakashi headed up to the desk, unnoticed by Iruka and his little army of huggle-bugs.

“I take it that you’re Uchiha Sasuke, right?” Kakashi’s question had no reply but the little boy’s eyes turned cold and guarded at the mention of the Uchihas. Disregarding the lack of response, Kakashi went on by stating, “Nice to meet you.”

The older vampire didn't bother to stick his hand out for a shake and turned his eyes down to the affectionate sight going on bellow. Jerking his head in its direction, he addressed the boy, “I heard Iruka-Sensei’s been gone for a while. Why don’t you go down there and say hello?”

A skeptical look was given and Sasuke muttered out as he looked down at the display, “why do you care?”

The vampire shrugged and slouched back down the steps, stepping in front of the crowd of little kids and one sensei that looked up at him in curiosity. Sasuke watched with probing eyes as Kakashi grinned down at them and introduced himself, the little kids broke out into questions about what his connection to Iruka-Sensei was and if they were dating, causing the teacher to blush and refuse profusely.

Class was dismissed early and all the students piled out to tell their parents that their old teacher was back to stay as Iruka and the other teacher talked with Kakashi waiting outside the door.

“Thank you again, Iruka-Sensei!” The teachers waved at each other and Iruka poked his head around the door at Kakashi.

“Could you give me a few minutes?” Kakashi nodded as Iruka went back into the room and shut the door behind him.

Unable to resist the temptation after five whole minutes of waiting, Kakashi glanced into the room but stopped in his tracks when he saw Iruka sitting next to Sasuke at his desk but that wasn't the strangest part. Iruka had his arm around the boy’s shoulders as fat tears ran down the boy’s cheeks. Neither of them said anything.

x-X-x

“Remember to brush your teeth, okay?” Iruka smiled as a subdued Sasuke slumped away from the duo. The vampire and werewolf had escorted the Uchiha back home as if was along the way after he and Iruka had emerged from the class as if the tears had never happened.

They watched as Sasuke entered the spacious home and went along their way back to their own home. Their little venture was filled with tense silence until Iruka finally broke out of his twitchy stupor.

“I'm sorry for snapping at you this morning,” the silver-headed man looked to the brunet to find him looking guiltily down at the dirt on the road ahead of them. “It’s just…I've never told _anyone_ about him…and I don’t plan to.”

Those last words were said with Iruka looking up at him with an unwavering gaze that told him if he tried to even ask about Naruto, he would probably be kicked out on the street. Kakashi nodded in response and the werewolf didn't seem satisfied with the answer but didn't push the matter further. The vampire bit his lip and wondered if Iruka would ever trust anyone that much.

X-X-X

Living with Iruka was not an easy feat. The next couple of months slowly crept by and Kakashi had worked his way gradually back into Iruka’s good books. He had kept quiet about the little nightmare incident and his questions about Naruto to himself.

In result, he was back where he started. He and the brunet chatted amiably and they would sometimes go out to eat together, the vampire had even begun to use the nickname he gave the brunet but Kakashi could tell Iruka was putting distance between them.

The vampire would spend most of his time at home, reading from Iruka’s extensive library, while other times he would go explore Konoha. When he felt like it, he would go ahead and try his hand at cooking with the help of a cookbook he found (in Iruka’s library), attempting to cook something mildly edible for the brunet when he came back from the academy. Other than those things, he had nothing to do. He was getting bored with staying at home.

There was one thing, though, that bothered him. Sometime in April, he had drifted to the stairs for a glass of water after waking up in the middle of the night. He paused when he saw a light emanating from the stairwell.

Peaking over the edge and into the kitchen, he found the kitchen light on and a sleepy-looking werewolf sitting at the kitchen table. The table was covered in papers and not just any papers either; pages that looked like bills. Iruka was running a hand through his hair and biting his lip as he read the paper in his hand, looking tired and worried.

Since then, Kakashi had been trying to find a job. If Iruka was going into debt because of him then he would find a job. Every place he went, though, always declined his services and said the same phrase after.

“Have you ever thought of being a shinobi?”

He sighed as he set down the teacup in his hand back onto the table. He suddenly wasn't in the mood for tea anymore. Izumo watched his movements and shook his head. He and his lover had moved back to Konoha only a few days ago and Kakashi was now seeking the other vampire’s help in the matter of jobs.

“Well, if you want my honest opinion, I’d have to say they’re right.” The younger man took a sip from his cup and placed it back on the table and turned to Kakashi. “The little businesses here in Konoha that are run by humans tend to lean away from vampires and werewolves for some reason and most of our kind only fit in with the shinobi world. You, for example, I don’t see you working as a waiter in a restaurant.”

Kakashi chuckled at the image it brought to mind and shook his head as the other vampire continued. “With your experience and skills, you could rise in the ranks instantly and the job’s not as bloody as it sounds.”

“Really?” Kakashi looked skeptically at the brunet and Izumo nodded assuredly.

“Yeah, I mean, unless you’re an ANBU you don’t have to kill people. Ko and I are chunin and the most exciting things we get to do are deliver supplies and make deals with merchants from the Council that are sworn to secrecy.” Izumo thought for a moment and went on with a wave of his hand. “You’re more likely to be a Jōnin but you can ask Asuma and he’d probably tell you the job’s still not completely scarring even at that level.”

Kakashi nodded and slid off the stool he was sitting on, giving Izumo a quick wave and farewell before heading out the door of the tea-house into the sun’s rays.

It was May and all flowers were in bloom just in time for the big festival Konoha was conducting. Everyone in Konoha was in a bustle as they made space for friends and family who were coming over for the big events going to be taking place Kakashi made his way through the crowd of happy people until he heard a shout.

“Hey! Kakashi!” Kotetsu was up ahead, waving over the crowd to get Kakashi’s attention. The vampire smiled and weaved through the crowd to the werewolf coming towards him. “Hey, I was wondering if you could bring Iruka to the big party we’re having after the festival tonight.”

“You guys are having an after-party?” An incredulous smile was given and Kotetsu simply shrugged in return.

“Yeah, since we didn't have a welcoming party for you, we decided to party it up and get drunk.” With a sheepish grin, the werewolf rubbed the back of his neck as his brows came together in as guilty gesture. “Actually, we usually throw a party anyway but…you know two birds with one stone.”

The vampire nodded in understanding. “It’s okay but, yeah, I’ll try to get Ruka to come if he’s home on time.”

“Thanks man,” Kotetsu grinned happily and turned to leave when Kakashi stopped him.

“Hey, Izumo’s over at the tea-house down the road, if you’re looking for him.” the werewolf thanked Kakashi again with a pat on the shoulder and jogged off to find his boyfriend, leaving Kakashi to walk home by himself.

Once in the townhouse, Kakashi shrugged off his shoes and went to the fridge to dig out something to eat or drink. The vampire had begun to grow accustomed to an empty, quiet house, seeing as Iruka was always either busy, on missions or working at the academy which he had started to teach at almost right after they moved in. The werewolf was currently on a diplomatic mission to Iwa and was to come home that night at six, leaving Kakashi alone again in the house for more than a week.

It was well past six when he saw people moving in masses towards the inner workings of the city where most of the events, games and entertainment would take place. He dropped his plate in the sink and turned to find the front door wide open with a frazzled-looking Wolf standing in the doorway.

An ANBU-geared Iruka tromped wearily into the house and shut the door behind him. He fumbled with red bow at the back of his head and pulled the mask off with a gasp, whipping his head from side to side and dislodging some strands which had been previously held back by hairpins to keep them from falling in his face during the mission. Kakashi chuckled at how much Iruka resembled a real wolf in those short moments with his black ears and tail poking out.

“These things are really getting on my nerves,” As he proceeded to tenderly but anxiously pull the pins out of his hair, the brunet dropped the porcelain mask, unbuckled the belt around his waist and let the two heavy items that were weighing him down drop unceremoniously onto the floor with a _clang_ , stepping into the adjoining bathroom near the kitchen to see what he was doing.

The vampire followed and stepped inside behind Iruka, reaching up to Iruka’s hair and the werewolf’s ears flattened against his head reflexively.

“Here, let me,” Kakashi turned the teacher towards him and Iruka dropped his hands with an exasperated sigh, keeping his ears down to allow more access to his head. The procedure was quick and done with little complaint from both parties as Kakashi gingerly pulled the pins out, finished in under five minutes with ease. Kakashi dropped the final pin into the little circular tray on the sink’s ledge meant for such purpose.

They stood there for a few moments, Kakashi with his eyes scanning the tired werewolf’s face and said werewolf staring at the floor between his feet. Kakashi’s hand drifted upward and his fingers brushed softly against the uneven bangs covering Iruka’s forehead. Surprised, Iruka jerked away from the touch and stared wide-eyed at Kakashi who gazed at the werewolf in return.

“Um,” the teacher looked away quickly and brushed passed Kakashi out of the bathroom, heading up the stairs to his room. The vampire watched as those flaming cheeks and that smooth tail disappeared and directed his attention to the gear strewn on the floor, picking up the equipment and lugging them up to Iruka’s study. He passed by Iruka’s room on the way and paused when he heard the shower going, hopping into the room to snatch up the ANBU suit that was lying in a half-hazard pile on the floor near the bathroom door.

Everything in Kakashi’s arms was dropped onto the desk in the study and Kakashi started to tuck away the armor, mask and belt into the drawers in the desk, untying the katana that was tied in its rightful spot on the belt and bringing everything else down into the basement so the shirt and pants could be thrown in the wash.

He carefully took the blade and set it on the weapon’s rightful brackets in the weapons’ display, silently promising the blade that he’d be back to clean it later. He went upstairs and waited until the werewolf finally shuffled down the stairs in a pair of well-worn jeans and a plain white tee, his hair drawn back in a wet ponytail.

“Well, I was talking with Kotetsu and he wanted me to drag you to the festival,” Iruka flopped onto the sofa and was about to object but Kakashi raised a hand to stop him. “I said I’d do it but only if you got home on time. In truth, you were ten minutes late.”

Iruka swiveled his head to check the clock that hung from the wall over the calendar near the stairs. After learning the time, he smirked at the truthfulness but the smile turned apologetic. “I'm sorry. I don’t think I’ll be able to take you to the festival tonight or the party for that matter.”

“It’s okay,” The vampire shrugged and padded to the door, slipping into his shoes as the werewolf on the couch watched with an inquisitive eye. He smiled and said before he left, “I've got a job interview anyway.”

Iruka was left on the sofa, his eyes wide surprise.

x-x-x

The Hokage’s eyes were wide in surprise but Kakashi ignored the look and place the paper on the man’s desk. After a few moments, the Hokage’s face went back to its usual serious look.

“Are you sure about this?” Kakashi nodded. “Does Iruka know?”

“I would prefer if he didn't,” the Hokage, in turn, nodded and signed the paper in front of his, slipping the paper into the hands of his assistant who gladly took it and left the room.

“Well, then I that case,” Kakashi sucked in a deep breath as he awaited the old man’s answer, dreading but almost giddy to know the answer.

“Welcome to the shinobi ranks, Hatake Kakashi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! Got caught up in other things~! Hope you liked this, feel free to give feedback if not!


	19. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: time skipping ahead.

_Bright eyes gazed intriguingly into the dark at the bright red pairs staring right back out at them. The paler of the three finally smirked and set the scroll he was holding down on the side table next to his chair._

_“Well, this is a fine piece of information, isn't it?” the man hummed at his guests but the two other men didn't reply, still waiting for the response to their earlier question. The pale man chuckled at their silence and threaded his hands together on his lap. “I guess I could pass this along to the Council some way or another.”_

~X~

December 21st, 6088 {24 years later}

 

It had finally begun to snow about a week ago. The light powder dusted the grass and trees on the first snow but had accumulated into a coat over the couple of days, making it difficult to travel anywhere by foot.

In other words, Kakashi’s feet were getting cold. He had been walking for over two days and the boots of his shinobi regalia had done their job quite well, the cloak as well, but everything has their limits at some point. The vampire couldn’t help but hate the fact that, at that moment, he was of the vampiric species.

The problem with being a vampire was one to laugh at. Their weakness was the cold.

All vampires were like a sponge except they absorbed cold. The only way to get rid of the cold was to spend some time in the sun or by some source of heat. Even then, their skin remained cold to the touch.

And right now the vampire was a little more than chilly to say the least. He was more than happy to see the dark shape of the mansion he had been heading to loom over him. So, with little to no hesitation, he pulled out the old key from his pocket he had slipped in before he left and undid the lock with shaking fingers. The front door was pushed in and Kakashi stumbled into the old home, shutting the door quickly behind him.

The place hadn't changed much since the last time he was here. Shedding his coat and hanging it up on the rack near the door as he slipped out of his boots, he looked over the home as he rubbed his arms and hands and went his way to the study where he started a fire in the fireplace. He found himself snugly slumped in the chair in front of a burning fire, letting the heat from the flames slowly settle into his bones as he stared into the fire and let his mind go blank for many minutes.

It had been at least twenty years since he had been here and the last time he had been in this room was when a certain little brunet had been standing on the very chair he was currently lounging on. The vampire smirked.

 He knew now that Iruka had been all talk and no bite. After twenty-four years of being a shinobi, you learn some things. For example, you learn how to move without noise and so fast that your opponent thinks you've disappeared. There had been a number of ways Iruka could have gotten the drop on him even though he was a trained assassin under the Council and those ways were for chunin-level shinobi.

Kakashi sat up properly and groaned as he stretched the last of the cold out of his muscles, putting out the fire before going up the main staircase to the room where Kakashi’s goal lay. His family’s training room was one of the largest rooms in the mansion, complete with a whole wall lined with weapons and another with mirrors.

Making a beeline for the wall of weapons, Kakashi went directly to where he knew his goal was waiting to be used, his inheritance from his father: the White light saber. The pearly, seemingly glowing, weapon itself had a history almost as famous as its previous owner and it would be a shame to keep it stored in such a dusty place. Kakashi had been yearning to use it ever since he had discovered the katana in Iruka’s home in what was now named the Sixth City.

Tying it to the belt around his waist, he made his way back to the study and put out the flames before trudging out into the snow once more to where his team was waiting for him. Kotetsu looked up from where he had been guarding their little campground.

“How were the rounds?” Kakashi shrugged and made his way past Ko to where the two other shinobi were sitting on a rock, taking a sip from the little packets of blood made especially for vampire shinobi for the thirst. They folded them up and stood when Kakashi picked up his pack from where he left it.

“No one’s on our tail so we should keep going. We’ll reach Konoha within a couple of hours if we hurry.” The rest of the team nodded in agreement and they bolted of through the trees at breakneck speed that only shinobi of chunin rank or higher could achieve.

As they ran, Kakashi glanced to the right and caught the brief sight of a snow-covered little area and smiled to himself as the certain brunet came to mind again. He suddenly couldn’t wait to get home.

X~X

The vampire slipped tiredly up the stairs to his room, shoes and cloak in hand as he pushed open the door with his hip. Over the years he had become increasingly good at hiding the evidence of a shinobi life when he was at home. He developed the habit to take off his special gear and bring them upstairs with him to hide as well as hiding the pants, shirt and standard jacket in the back of his drawers. So far, Iruka hadn't found out about his so-called “job” and Kakashi had done a good turn at forging up a fake job that Iruka could believe in.

After a shower and some careful consideration as to where he should his father’s saber (between his mattress and bed-springs), Kakashi plopped down on the sofa on flicked on the TV to something mildly entertaining. Normally, he would have waited after his missions until the werewolf got home and they would eat dinner like any other night, discussing how their days went before retiring to bed for the day. On some nights they would go out to eat, sometimes alone or with friends.

Now, though, it was four hours passed the time school finished on Fridays which would be three o’clock.

Sighing at the door after a peek at the clock, Kakashi slumped to the fridge for a cup of blood. It was not unusual for Iruka to come home late. The teacher had a tendency to over work himself by either writing up worksheets for other teachers or doing volunteer work in the mission room. The vampire couldn’t help but feel that those were unnecessary but he couldn’t blame Iruka when he helped the Hokage after school hours because he knew how much Iruka cared for the village to help.

To be honest, Kakashi found it cute how Iruka wanted to help everyone and everything at once from taking the missions no one wanted to acting as the Hokage’s personal assistant.

The vampire sipped from his cup and set it down on a coaster that rested on the coffee table as he settled himself down on the couch. When he thought about it, there were many things Kakashi found cute about Iruka, physically and otherwise.

Over the past twenty-four years, Kakashi felt the sweet man warming up to him, gradually letting the ex-assassin slowly worm his way under his skin till Kakashi found that he had made a nice nest in the ANBU’s life. He had started buying groceries until Iruka finally caved and let him help pay the water and electric bills as well, seeing as he was living there as well now. The vampire would wake up to the smell of freshly-brewed coffee if he hadn't waken up before Iruka and done it himself. The thing that had changed most though was the atmosphere between the two.

Before, it had started out as tension-filled silences and corner-of-the-eye glances out of fear that one would say something to make the other go on the offensive. As the years passed, though, Kakashi learned not to bring up Naruto or anything related to the nightmares Iruka suffered at least once a year from. If he did let anything slip, Iruka would go silent and give him a look that should have killed him, making Kakashi fall silent and change the subject.

Despite that little issue, they had become the close friends, maybe even more. Kakashi felt Iruka becoming even more precious than a friend to him and he could tell Iruka was getting close with the idea of trusting Kakashi.

On more than one occasion, Iruka would stumble exhausted into the house either in wolf or human form and collapse onto the floor in a pile of tired werewolf. The older man would set down a set down a bottle or saucer of water next to Iruka and prepare a meal for when Iruka would feel up to the grueling task of getting up and crawling to the table. Some nights after a long day of work, Iruka would find the vampire on the sofa when he got home and would curl himself up next to Kakashi, using the taller man’s lap or shoulder as a pillow. He would even fall asleep other nights and Kakashi would scoop him up and carry him to bed.

A jangle of keys brought Kakashi out of his daydream and he looked up at the door in time to see just the person he was thinking about hop into the house as he shut the door behind himself, sighing as he slumped against it and slid to the floor wearily. His russet, pony-tailed hair and jacket were covered with a light layer of snow from the walk home and the satchel that contained his paperwork had fallen to the floor beside him as the brunet closed his eyes, unknowing to the fact that the vampire was watching him with a smirk from his spot on the couch.

“Had a rough day?” Iruka’s eyes snapped open and a blushed covered his cheeks when he found Kakashi watching him with an amused smile.

“Ah, yeah…a bit,” standing, Iruka willed away his blush as he slid off his boots and padded into the kitchen. “I thought you were supposed to come back tomorrow…”

“I was,” Kakashi stood and followed Iruka, slipping the coat of the smaller man’s shoulders as Iruka blushed at the charming gesture and went to hook it near the door. The vampire gave a grin in Iruka’s direction. “It just so happens that we ran out of stock to sell.”

“You mean, you ran out?” the werewolf teased as he grabbed an apple from the fridge. The vampire scoffed.

“You’re just jealous because I'm the best fruit salesman in Konoha.” Kakashi turned smug and crossed his arms in a self-assured fashion.

“Ha! I’ll believe it when I see it.” Iruka smirked as Kakashi walked over and gave Kakashi a questioning look when he reached up and stroked the brunet’s hair.

“You’ve got snow in your hair.” A smile was flashed and Iruka blushed even harder against his better judgement. The taller man went back to lounging on the sofa. “So, you sure your day was ‘a bit’ rough?”

Iruka sighed and dropped defeated onto the couch next to Kakashi. “I give, you’re right. Today was horrible. The kids wouldn't listen, they failed the test that they knew I would give today and the ANBU exams are just so fucking hard to prepare for!”

Iruka flopped onto his side, head landing in Kakashi’s lap as the man perked up at the mention of the exams. “Oh, yeah, those are soon, right?”

“Yup, they start tomorrow, in fact. That’s kind of why I have to wake up at two in the morning” The taller man nodded and ran his hands through Iruka’s hair, undoing the band at the back to free the chocolate strands that felt like silk to the touch.

“How about you go to sleep and I’ll wake you at two, okay?” Iruka mumbled a sleepy approval and drifted off to sleep seconds later. It seemed as though the younger man hadn't slept much over the past few nights, taking care of the briefing proctors, prepping exams and other things that he was involved with.

Speaking of the exams, they were another thing Kakashi had forgotten to mention to Iruka about. He had submitted a formal request to the Hokage himself (under promise that Iruka wouldn't see it) to enter the ANBU exams a year ago. After all, he was a Jōnin and that made him completely eligible to take the tests. He had been Jōnin for the last fourteen years after having spent four as a genin and six as a chunin, having passed all his tests with flying colors. It had been about time he tried for ANBU. Of course, he knew that Iruka would eventually find out, being ANBU captain and that he should tell the werewolf if he passed.

As a matter of fact, the exams were early tomorrow morning, a five o’clock sharp. He decided that he would set the alarm on his watch for one-thirty so that Iruka would have time to get ready and sleep while he had the heat from the brunet cuddling up next to him.

X-X

Iruka squeezed his eyes shut as a harsh ringing rang next to his ear, sitting up with bleary eyes as he tried to remember where he was. He turned and found Kakashi snoring softly with his head resting against the back of the couch in an odd position. The teacher shut off the alarm on the watch that sat on Kakashi’s wrist and moved the older man so that his head rested on a pillow that was placed where Iruka had been sleeping only moments ago.

The man looked so peaceful in his sleep, face completely relaxed and cheeks stained a light pink that was hardly visible until you looked close like Iruka was doing at the very moment as he sat next to Kakashi on the little space there was left and ran a hand over the man’s fluffy, soft hair.

Looking at the time, Iruka smiled at Kakashi’s thoughtfulness and brought his lips next to the taller man’s ear to whisper lightly, “Thank you.”

Iruka slipped off the couch and padded down the stairs, returning and slipping up to the top level of the home after retrieving his katana from its place on the “wall o’ weapons”. As Iruka shuffled about on light feet upstairs, Kakashi lay on the sofa pretending to be in deep sleep until the noise of rustling upstairs stopped, signalling to the man that Iruka had parted and used the balcony adjoining his room as an exit.

The only man left in the house got up blearily and yawned as he stretched out his limbs like a cat would by arching his back until it gave a satisfying crack. He had been pretending to sleep ever since his alarm woke them both up. He simply didn't feel like getting up at that moment, Iruka was so warm and it would have been a waste to get up then. It was an added bonus that he got a little hair massage in the mix.

He had slept a total of nine hours last night and he felt much rested although, he could feel the tension rise in the pit of his stomach.

The ANBU exams were not supposed to be easy. They were divided into three parts: the fear test, mental exam that was comprised of the intelligence test and the last was the fight exam. Each test was different and every time the ANBU exams were taken, different tests were thought up. All the tests were difficult and they were made so that you would lose no matter what. The point was to see how far you could go.

One or two people would be chosen out of the whole group to join the ANBU ranks. It was said that sometimes no one would pass.

The first test he had to pass was the fear test and, just like its name, they would give you a serum that provoked your worst fear. The second was intelligence in which you had to answer as many problems (mathematical and otherwise) as you could before the time ran out. Those two exams were pretty standard and the same type of test was used each year but fight test changed every year.

Kakashi wasn't worried, not at all. This was the exact reason why he was pacing around the kitchen. Actually, he was quite nervous but it wasn’t for the exams. Okay, a little part of the anxiety was given to the tests but the rest was taken for his apprehension concerning Iruka. What if Iruka checked the forms? What if he found out mid-exam? Kakashi honestly didn't feel like dying today.

He could picture Iruka’s anger so clearly in his head it made his fear look like a lollipop.

That was also another problem, his fear. He knew exactly what his fears were and he knew that he was very much afraid of them. When he had a chat with Asuma-his informant about the ANBU exams-, the Bear ANBU gave him the advice of willing his mind to think of something else to overcome the system. The problem with that plan was that he didn't know what to think about.

One of the best memories of his father was an option. It was one of the only happy times he had with his father.  It was a little thing so Kakashi was doubtful it would even help. His father alone brought up too many fears anyway.

Kakashi wasn’t perfect. He knew that.

Despite his lack of perfection, his was brave. This was the exact reason why he was marching at four in the morning into the lion’s den which happened to be the Hokage’s office.

Kneeling, Kakashi greeted the man in charge.

“The exams will start in room 502.” Sarutobi said as he placed an ANBU uniform on the edge of the desk for him to take temporarily. There was even a mask that accompanied the attire with a red seven painted on the right cheek.

Kakashi stood and thanked the man, turning and leaving for the bathroom down the hall that was seemingly empty due to it being four in the morning. He quickly changed into the slim, black pants; the tight, sleeveless shirt and armour. The utility belt was the next to be slid on and the mask came next. The cloak was almost like the one he had in his closet except there were hidden pocket on the inside.

The man sighed as he studied himself in the mirror with all the gear. The outfit would have been completely finished if he had not had the disappointment of his life that morning. He had lifted up the mattress and picked up the White Light Sabre, sliding it out of its sheath only to find that the blade had rusted and broken in many places. He had sheathed it once again and mournfully hid it back under the mattress.

The vampire hopped out of the bathroom and hurried to the row of lockers on the floor below him that were used by the shinobi when training. He threw his clothes into his locker and slammed it shut, hurrying around the building to room 502.

He lightly opened the door and stepped into a stark white, windowless room with rows of desks. He vaguely remembered this room when they used it for the Jōnin exams and chunin exams. Some ANBU-test-takers were sitting quietly in the desks at the front of the room, leaving Kakashi to make his way to the first desk in the next row.

The seven of them waited until ten more newcomers came and sat down in the available seats. Time seemed to pass for a long time before the door opened again, revealing a very tall man in ANBU attire that made Kakashi almost jump when he recognized the mask. It was the ANBU known as Vulture, aka Ibiki, the man he had bumped into when Iruka and he first came to Konoha and also written as a Base Nine member in the book he had read at the Sixth City.

“Alright, you maggots,” he deep-voiced man boomed at the small crowd. “You’re all apparently here because you want to become ANBU, right?”

The whole group was pretty much speechless by the time he finished getting their attention and, before they had time to respond, the man bellowed, “Well, too bad because most of you are going to fail, anyway.”

Kakashi felt the morale of the whole room drop to two percent as the room grew colder with every word that was spat out by the big man at the front.

“But I'm going to explain the rules to you anyway.” Vulture sighed as he grabbed a folder marked #1 from a little pile of them from the top of the bureau at the front of the class. “You will all be judged anonymously and fairly by a group of hand-picked ANBU members. The number painted on your mask is your number. You may not change or tamper with your mask or anyone else’s mask. You may not talk to anyone during, before or after the tests. If you have any questions, keep them to yourself because neither I nor will any other proctor answer them for you.”

A break was taken to catch a breath and the man started again. “Now, we will start the first part of the exams. We will call each of you by your number one at a time. Number One.”

The poor person in the front seat stood and quivered as the big man lead him out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Everyone’s shoulders fell as the relief of Vulture being gone set in. all the other participants relaxed until the door was kicked open and a shaking Number Two was called. One by one, the room emptied out slowly over time, sometimes it took a while when some went by quickly. Finally, the first row emptied and Kakashi was left to be the next person to be called with the others sighing in relief.

The vampire took a deep breath and told himself he could do this as he prepared himself for the worst. If he failed then he could try again another year. Taking calming breaths, the vampire let the feeling of serenity drift over him as he let his shaking leg slowly stop and his heart rate calm down into a slow pulse. He let his joints and muscles loosen up and he felt almost completely at peace…

Until the door burst in unexpectedly quickly and Number Seven was called.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and leave some feedback if you want.


	20. Chapter 19

Tired and shaky, Kakashi was not one to be fucked with. He had finished the first and second exams and they had left him feeling weary and with a headache.

The second test was the easiest. As his intelligence was of a supreme level; the tests were quick and simple. So much so that they had left him with a headache at trying and failing to find a code to decipher it at how straightforward they were. After understanding that there were no hidden features under the equations, bada bing bada boom and he was done.

The first test not so much. The hallucinogen they had given him as soon as he had sat down in the room they had brought him to was fast-acting and, in seconds, his mind had conjured up the vision that Vulture and the nurse had blurred into oblivion and the room was getting smaller and smaller by the inches.

The serum they injected in him was made to stimulate the fear faction of the brain, inducing the mind to think of the things that the person injected feared the most. Kakashi had been prepared for that though, knowing that he was sadly plagued with claustrophobia.

In theory, he had come up with thinking of nothing to steady his breathing. The room, though, had other plans as it kept drawing his attention that closer it got. By the time the wall in front got to his knees, he was already hyperventilating and could sense faint coming on but something in his brain was triggered in that instant and he felt warmth spread from a hand to the rest of his body, washing him with its warm, soothing glow that brought his heart rate back down to normal.

_"It’s alright Kakashi; we're almost there."_

A light voice sounded out by his ear and he shivered at the noise, letting his eyes drop closed to listen to the soft voice. Another movement by his hand made him open his eyes again and he had let his jaw drop when he saw Iruka was standing in front of him as the room melted away into light around them, hand outstretched with a warm smile on his face. The werewolf had looked exactly like he had when they were passing through the crack in the cliff to get to the Sixth City, slightly rumpled from the walk and wearing the sweater and backpack he had borrowed from Kakashi.

Back then, Iruka had seen the uncertainty in Kakashi’s eyes and had taken his hand. Now, Kakashi’s mind created the vision of Iruka doing the same thing, taking his hand and saying softly, _"Just a little further, okay?"_

Vision-Iruka had looked away and the scene shifted so that the werewolf was in his ANBU uniform, looking oh-so-sulty as he turned his head to Kakashi.

Suddenly, Kakashi was watching for the outside as he stood and ripped off the mask, watching as Iruka’s face went into one of surprise and fear as ‘Kakashi’ grabbed him by the shoulders and bit into the exposed part of his neck under his ear.

The vampire went slack-jawed in his seat and felt his heart stop as Iruka looked at him over ‘Kakashi’s’ shoulder with a heart-breaking look in his eyes, saying in a betrayed whisper, “how could you?”

Even now, the silver-haired man felt himself still shaking slightly from the vision of ‘him’ dropping Iruka to die in front of him. Regardless of the sight being real or not, Kakashi had come out of the hallucination, screaming in terror and shaking in panic.

He could tell the other test-takers were thoroughly disturbed from their fears as most of them kept shifting from one foot to the other in the line against the wall they had been placed in. Some takers had not been able to continue as some never came into the second room where they were to take the second test. Now, less than a dozen people remained: numbers one, two, three, five, six, seven, ten, eleven, twelve, and fourteen.

This testing room was the largest of the three with grey, cement walls at least a hundred feet long and more than half as tall. On the wall opposite them, a one-way window looked down on them from above, enabling people to watch them without their knowledge of who was watching who and when. Under the bright lamps hanging above them, Kakashi watched wearily as almost a dozen current ANBU members stepped out from the door opposite of the one he and the rest of the initiates had been lead through.

Unfortunately, life decided to throw a curve ball….right at his face.

The team of ANBU walking in consisted of Vulture, Puma, Bear, Python, and a couple new ones Kakashi had never seen before like Squirrel, Lion and Panda. Those, though, weren’t not the ones he felt his stomach both drop and soar at seeing.

It was the little ANBU that was following at the back of the line to stand at the end.

Wolf.

Feeling comforted just to have the brunet in the room was one side while Kakashi also wanted to crawl under a rock as his mind kept trying to bring back images from the vision in the first test. In his head, everything was starting to add up and he did not like what he came up with.

ANBU + Trainees + Fighting Test = Utterly Screwed

If he was correct, he and the others would go one-on-one against a current ANBU member. As things were looking now, there was a very high percentage that Kakashi would have to face someone he knew.

As predicted, Ibiki pulled out a little pouch and dug around inside, pulling out a little slip of paper and reading what was written on it.

“Number six,” the person next to Kakashi stiffened and slowly made his way forward as the second person in the ANBU line, Puma, stepped forward as well. Remembering her from the first mission he had been present for that Iruka had taken, Kakashi recalled that she was a werewolf and watched as she hunched over.

He could almost hear her grin as she chuckled at the initiates hesitation, saying with some amusement as she waved him forward, “come at me, bro.”

Six hesitated one last time before whipping out a kunai and throwing it at her, the kunai about to hit its mark before the werewolf at the other end of the arena dogged at the last moment by tilting her head slightly to the side. She chuckled again, “that’s all you got?”

This seemed to snap the initiate out of their trance and Six zipped forward to clash kunai with the opponent’s. The battle couldn’t have lasted more than a handful of minutes before the initiate was pinned to the ground, whimpering in pain as the ANBU pressed her knee between his shoulder blades and twisted his arm at an odd angle.

Six was released and Puma got up and sauntered back to the ANBU line as Four dared forward and helped the injured initiate out the door on the initiates’ side. Ibiki picked another name and the second ANBU in line came forward. The fights went on and Kakashi felt dread built in his stomach, the last would have to fight Iruka.

The line of initiates and ANBU wavered until there were only four left and Ibiki.

Kakashi sighed. He now had only two options. He would either be picked now and fight versus the Panda or watch as his companion initiate fought (and lose as everyone else did) and be left to fight Iruka.

When Ibiki pulled the paper out of the bag, he almost fell into pieces from disappointment as he heard another number than the one painted on his mask. The other initiate stepped forward and he couldn’t help but feel jealous of the person shaking under that cloak.

Not paying any attention to the battle taking place only feet away, the vampire bit his lip and tried to come up with a plan. It seemed as though all battles were impossible. The ANBU they were fighting were trained to pick out your weakness and use it against you. They were also at an advantage because the initiates were tired, shaken up. So, if the objective of this test wasn’t to win, there was a very good chance that they were testing how long you could or what methods you used during.

Feeling a bit more relieved, Kakashi let go of his lip. Just the thought of fighting the little teacher made his insides twist. He didn't want to hurt Iruka whether by accident or to win the fight. Regardless, he had never seen the werewolf in combat but he wasn’t going to over or underestimate the teenager.

He looked up to see said teenager watching him with keen eyes, most likely to gauge how powerful he was just by his posture.

Kakashi frowned; Iruka was too smart for his own good. Knowing how prepared Iruka got for anything, the brunet had probably been watching him since he and the other initiates entered the arena along with the other ones before they battled. He briefly hoped Iruka wouldn’t look too hard at him, paranoid that the werewolf would see right through the mask and recognize him.

Before Kakashi knew it, Ibiki had called his number. It seemed as though the battled had ended quickly during his daydream.

On numb legs, Kakashi walked forward, trying not to stumble on his weak legs in the process as they didn't want to cooperate. He watched as Iruka did the same, seeing the confidant steps that brought the werewolf in into the fifteen-foot distance that all other battles had started at. For the longest moment, the simply stared at each other until the vampire saw his masked opponent flash forward with the use of his werewolf speed and Kakashi felt himself move as well.

They were right in front of each other milliseconds later, jabbing, slicing and throwing at each other with their kunai but never actually hitting their marks as the other was too quick.

Stepping up the ante, the vampire grabbed Iruka’s arm as he jabbed at him for the fifth time and tugged him forward, enough to make him unbalanced as Kakashi flipped over him to land behind in time to see Iruka catch his balance again.

A jab was aimed at the werewolf’s back but he quickly dropped into a crouch and swung out a leg which would have swept the Jōnin off his feet if he had not had the reflex to execute a backflip, landing another ten feet away.

Neither of them was sweating and they could tell the fight had only just begun as Kakashi took a deep breath and attacked. Kakashi kept coming and Iruka danced away out of his kunai’s reach, evading shuriken that were aimed at him. The werewolf would reply back with his own arsenal and Kakashi hopped and twisted out of their way.

The test dragged on, the two opponents battling fiercely yet not making any lethal attacks on each other.

Kakashi was starting to get tired….scratch that, he was tired before and now he was on the brink of exhaustion. He had to do something or else there was a good chance that he’d pass out.

Speeding forward and ducking under the armed arm swinging at him, the vampire grabbed Iruka’s wrist from behind and held the werewolf’s own hand and kunai to his throat as he wrapped another arm around the other arm and waist to hopefully create a stalemate.

Iruka, though, had other plans and was not going to give up so easily. The vampire instinctively jumped back when he felt a sharp, searing pain at his side, leaving Iruka free. Kakashi put a hand to his right side and brought it up to his face to find it covered in blood. Iruka had slashed his side, right on his ribs, with the razor-sharp claws at the end of the ANBU’s gloves.

The werewolf too seemed just as easily shocked as he stared at the ends of his claws that looked as if they had clawed at a freshly-painted, red wall. Iruka clenched his hand into a fist in a motion that made Kakashi wonder briefly what he was thinking.

Briefly, being the key word. Iruka was suddenly in back of his, kicking at the reflexive part behind Kakashi’s knee and made the vampire go down onto his knees. Kakashi quickly bent backwards to escape the kunai that lashed out at his neck in front of him from the speedy werewolf. The vampire felt gravity move in and he fell on his back against the floor, feeling the sharp edge of said kunai pressing up against his throat as Iruka straddled his hips to immobilize them.

In that position, Kakashi knew that he was stuck and that Iruka would win the fight which he had predicted anyway….although. He did have something dirty under his sleeve and he felt slightly guilty about using that attribute against Iruka but…as Asuma advised, he had an opening and he gave going to take it.

Caught completely off guard by the sudden and awkward movement, the brunet let the weapon slip from his fingers when the seventh initiate beneath him jerked his hips up quickly. The world tumbled and Iruka found himself on his back, the man that had been under him now holding Iruka’s own kunai against his neck as the man held the sensei’s arms above his head with the other. Realizing too late that Seven had taken advantage of his moment of imbalance, Iruka felt the man press his shin into his groin and pelvis, a more efficient position to hold the brunet down.

After a few moments the werewolf went slack under him as Iruka acknowledge his defeat.

The vampire let himself smile slightly that the move had worked. The great thing about fighting Iruka was that he knew most of the werewolf’s weaknesses. It was an added bonus that the brunet didn't know who he was. The younger man would probably think the move had been an act of desperation that had worked and not due to the fact that Kakashi knew that Iruka hadn't gained much weight over the past few years from carrying him to bed when the teacher would fall asleep in the living room/kitchen.

The whole room was silent except for the two competitors’ harsh breathing. After a few moments Kakashi let the kunai in his hands slip to the floor next to Iruka’s head and gingerly scooted away from him, trying his best not to hurt Iruka in any way.

Standing, he wobbly made his way through the doorway he came and felt two pairs of eyes staring at him as he went.

After seven had left, Iruka stayed on the floor, sitting and staring at the way the initiate had left through until a hand came out into the corner of his eye. He looked up to find Vulture holding his hand out to help him up. Iruka complied and let himself be dragged up, feeling his legs turned to Jell-O under him.

A shiver ran up his spine at just the thought of the seventh holding him down. It had been both arousing and terrifying all the same.

Noticing Ibiki staring at him, Iruka looked to him and raised an unseen eyebrow. Though hidden, the proctor seemed to understand his wonder, explaining, “You think it’s him?”

“First the judges will decide and then we’ll see what happens.”

X_X

Shaking, Kakashi made his way quietly down the hall to his locker and had to attempt his code at least two times with his trembling fingers before actually getting it to open. He hurriedly grabbed his clothes and rushed to the bathroom after hastily snapping the lock shut, dropping his things on the counter and rapidly stripping out of the uniform to dump it on the counter before slipping into his own pants.

He froze when he saw his reflection. He was really pale, more than normal, and he five gashes on his side were stark in comparison, letting trickles of blood run into the hem of his pants. With a quick glance around the room, the vampire quickly located a first-aid kit and quickly took and opened it.

Bright side of living in a village of shinobi: there were always first-aid kits handy.

After a lot of pain and some rubbing alcohol, the Jōnin wrapped himself up in gauze and glanced up at himself in the mirror. The reflection of a pale, red-eyed man stared back him with his hands trembling worse than a frightened puppy. That, though, was not the most frightening part.

It was his eyes.

They were both bright red.

He had to eat and fast or else he might do something regretful.

He couldn’t go home. Iruka would notice if his eating patterns changed. Maybe he was just being paranoid but…

Shaking his head, the vampire cleared out of the room and cropped the shredded uniform with the Hokage before he gave a polite bow as he left.

Kakashi kept glancing and double-taking throughout the walk home, taking breaths that were supposed to calm him. Once even, he swore he saw Iruka following him but when he looked back it turned out to be a green-eyed shifter instead.

Suspicious and famished, the Jōnin didn't even have the courtesy to take off his shoes when he got in the apartment and let his nose lead him to the fridge, ripping out a pack and drinking straight out of it.

“Ha…” he sighed, his stomach giving pleasant gurgles as the blood made contact, licking his lips of the little drops that were left. The moment of initial bliss settling upon him and Kakashi dropped onto the couch even though he knew he would have to get back up again to get another bag when his belly would growl again in demand for more.

Minutes passed and Kakashi almost dropped off into sleep before his tummy rumbled again as a scent came to his attention.

It was sweet and fragrant, almost light enough so he couldn’t smell it on a daily basis but it was there and he could smell it now as he licked his blood-stained lips. Under that freshly-washed smell, Kakashi knew that the sickly-sweet fragrance belonged to one little brunet he lived with. It was the smell of his blood.

Being here every day, it was no surprise the werewolf had managed to leave a blood-scent behind. Kakashi knew that their home would smell like him too even though he couldn’t smell himself on the place, being so used to it by now.

Every time, though, the brunet’s aroma captivated him as if for the first time. Kakashi wanted to taste Iruka’s blood, he couldn’t deny that, but he cared more about the teacher than to sink that low.

Now that he thought of it, he cared for Iruka a lot. He hadn't even cared this much about-

Violently wrenched out of his thoughts, Kakashi shot to his feet when he heard a noise upstairs and was up the stairs case in seconds, creeping down the hall cautiously until he heard shuffling of feet in Iruka’s room.

A peak around the corner and felt his heart both sigh and leap at the sight. It was only Asuma…with Iruka in his arms.

The ANBU had come in through the balcony whose door were wide open and delicately set the seemingly unconscious brunet down on the bed, Kakashi stepping into the doorway hesitantly.

“He collapsed about twenty minutes ago and we took him to the hospital. Turns out he’d just overworked himself.” Asuma said to the vampire as he straightened back up, glancing over the other man and pausing. “You’re bleeding.”

Kakashi looked down at his side and saw the blood had leaked through his shirt and the gauze even though he could feel the wound closing up already. He covered his side with a hand, “it’s nothing,”

An exasperated sigh could be heard across the room before Asuma marched out of the room, “come on, I’ll look at it.”

Sitting down at the kitchen table with a med kit, the werewolf looked over the wound after pulling his mask down to rest at his neck, “so, got this during the exams?”

“Yeah,” Kakashi let a wince escape as the gauze was snipped and pulled off, the ANBU humming in response. As he thought about it, he hadn't seen anyone slice their opponent like this during the battles before him and he hadn't used his claws during his fight so the vampire must have fought after. He hadn't seen any ANBU with blood-stained claws other than…

“You fought Iruka.” the statement made Kakashi tense and the werewolf laughed at the man’s reaction as he cleaned the healing wound and wrapped it back up again, “sorry, it’s just…irony’s a bitch.”

“You can say that again,” Kakashi’s shoulder’s slumped in defeat, getting up and pulling his shirt back on to find Asuma was smirking at him. “What?”

“I heard from one of the judges that Seven got straddled by the littlest ANBU.”

“He caught me off guard,” Kakashi claimed in hastily.

“Then Seven bucked his hips and flipped their positions around,” the smirk never faded and at that moment Kakashi wanted to punch his smug face in so badly. Instead he turned away and started for the stairs. “What? Didn’t want Ru to feel your hard-on?”

The whole room went silent until Kakashi shot a dark glare over his shoulder and crooned with a creepy smile as Asuma simply sat there in his chair, giving him a smile. “Shut up”

The werewolf gave a low chuckle then turned serious and looked Kakashi in the eye through the hole in his mask he pulled back on. “You know Iruka cares about you a lot, right?”

A grim smile made its way onto Kakashi’s face at the topic, “I doubt he cares about me in the way I care about him.”

 _You’d be surprised._ The bearded man thought but kept the reflection to himself in favour of continuing, “Well, I think it’s about time you told him.”

A glance up the stairwell from the vampire and Asuma sighed, “The doctors gave him two or three shots of elephant tranquilizer so he’ll be out for about the whole day and maybe even the night if we’re lucky. He’ll be hungry when he wakes up.”

With a nod from Kakashi, the brunet left with a wave, leaving the silver-haired man to bite his lip and grab another pack of blood out of the fridge to down quickly.

_X_

Kakashi was just too charming for his own good Iruka mused as he sat on the edge of his bed staring out at the setting sun.

All his weapons were cleaned, returned to their rightful spot and packed away in his dresser and his gear was even slid back into the chest hidden under his bed that only Kakashi had ever seen, indicating the vampire had been the one to remove his things and put them away. Even his clawed gloves had been cleansed of blood traces from the initiate he had swiped at during the exams.

Whoever that man was, he was skilled.

Picking himself off the bed, the werewolf undressed out of his issued pants and shirt that Kakashi had left on him and switched into a pair of comfy pyjama bottoms and a plain tee. He padded down into the living room and found Kakashi watching a comedy involving intelligent young adults that lived in the apartment next to the pretty girl.

The man glanced back at Iruka and did a double-take with wide eyes staring at him in surprise. “H-how are you up yet?”

A dark eyebrow rose and Iruka looked at him questioningly with his head cocked, “I woke up…”

The bi-eyed man stared at him for a few more bewildered moments before he finally sighed in annoyance and pointed towards the vague direction of the kitchen, focusing his gaze back on the TV. “I made food.”

Iruka stomach gurgled eagerly and he went straight for the food, busying himself around the kitchen as Kakashi looked at him discretely out of the corner of his eye, going back to the TV when Iruka settled down in a seat at the kitchen table with his big bowl of spaghetti.

After consuming half his meal, Iruka felt his inside sigh in happiness and let his eyes wander until they settled on Kakashi. The man was wearing what looked like an old shirt and a pair of faded jeans that Iruka had seen on him many times before, knowing that they fit perfectly loose on those hips.

Licking his lips, the brunet’s eyes traced over well-built arms and long fingers till they came back up again to the strong neck. He so wanted to plop down nest to the man and curl up in his arms that he somehow knew would be gentle. The vampire was way too appealing for his own good.

Iruka continued eating but felt his eyes stray back to the man sitting on his couch every few seconds, watching how the man’s visible eye reflected the television and flicked over the screen.

Groaning inwardly, the werewolf shoved move food in his mouth and ripped his eyes of Kakashi. Why did the man have to be so handsome…and funny…and smart and-

 _I need more food,_ Iruka though in frustration. The chair was pushed out as Iruka stood and turned his back to the attractive god on his couch masquerading as a man in favour of grabbing more food. _Stupid vampire for being so stupidly gorgeous and making me feel so stupidly interested in him…_

Feeling very brainless, the teacher sat back down and schooled his frustrated features as he poked at his food. Glimpse-filled moments passed until a voice started Iruka into a blush.

“Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you or are you just going to keep sitting there?” the question caught Iruka off guard and he almost choked on a noodle, staring at Kakashi with flushed cheeks from both the lack of oxygen and being caught.

“I-” the words caught on his tongue but Iruka swallow passed the hesitation and said, “I have a mission tomorrow night.”

“What?!” the vampire spun his head so fast Iruka was sure he gave himself whip-lash. Kakashi proved him wrong, though, by standing up and crossing his arms with an irate face. “No,”

It was Iruka’s turn to be confused, “what?”

“I said no. I'm not going to let you go. You just had the exams this morning.”

“You can’t do that. I'm going whether you like it or not, Kakashi.”

“I’ll go file a complaint to the Hokage.”

“He won’t listen.”

The vampire sighed in exasperation and uncrossed his arms, his once angry eyes going soft. “You fainted today, Iruka, out of sheer exhaustion.”

“It doesn’t matter, Kakashi.” Iruka gave him sad smile. It was sweet of Kakashi care so much about just one little mission and it sent little butterflies fluttering through his stomach even though Iruka tried to ignore them. “Anyway, it’s only to the Sixth City.”

Grumbling something unintelligible, Kakashi grumbled to himself and he fixed his eyes on the untouched second helpings on Iruka’s plate. At least the werewolf had eaten something. “You gonna eat that?”

Iruka blushed shyly and pushed the plate in Kakashi’s direction, standing when Kakashi said adamantly that he should go to sleep and “you’re going to need it if you’re going on that mission tomorrow.”

Grinning for the approval, the brunet nodded eagerly and hopped back up the stairs as Kakashi dumped the leftover into containers to freeze or refrigerate them. The man sighed as he heard the shower run and went upstairs into his own room.

The werewolf had smiled so happily at him.

He had never been smiled at like that by anyone except maybe Obito and his mother…not even his father. His thoughts had gone to his father’s heirloom and how it brought upon painful memories of both when his father was alive and his death. The death he had committed with the very blade in Kakashi’s room right now.

He knelt down by his bed and lifted up the mattress…only to find that the sabre was gone.

What? Where was it? The vampire pulled up the whole mattress in his search but found nothing. He had sworn he hadn't moved it…maybe he threw it out? No, he couldn’t have.

Shaking his head, Kakashi sighed again and dropped bed back into place. He had lost the only family heirloom he had. True, it had been his intention to destroy it but losing it felt more like he had dishonored his father’s memory.

_I'm sorry, father._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!


	21. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, since this chapter was posted on FFAW's one-year anniversary, this chapter is three times as long and was divided into three parts. Enjoy since there's only five chapters to ago after this!

# Part 1

 “So?”

The silver haired young man looked from the thick book on his desk to the older man that had just stepped into the dark, close room, keeping his gaze steady on the man as he parroted, “so?”

“Your spies are in order and are ready to spread the little news over the world?”

The younger man smirked at the inane question and adjusted his glasses, placing a hand on his hip in an arrogant gesture. “Of course they are. Even my lord is going to help.”

“They better be.” The masked man turned to leave but paused in the light of the doorway right before he stepped out, leaving the medical man with the message that left his with thrilled shivers running down his back, “They better be ready to spread the word tomorrow.”

X-X

The next morning is what one would call….uneventful…

At least it was until Iruka had the gall to remember that Christmas/Hanukah/almost-every-other-holiday was almost upon them. So, in a tradition that they had started two years ago, Iruka dragged Kakashi out into the cold morning air to the forest surrounding Konoha.

 Tugging the red scarf around his neck tighter in a futile attempt to keep warm, Kakashi followed from a safe distance as the ever-eager Iruka as the brunet hopped from one tree to the next to find the one that would be eventually dubbed ‘perfect’ for their little home by said little brunet. Watching Iruka bounce around, made him wonder how Iruka got all that energy until he remembered one important little detail.

Iruka taught kids.

It was no surprise that they had rubbed off on him.

He hadn't wanted to go out, if the vampire had to tell the truth, but when the werewolf gave him that energized smile and his eyes glittered with excitement, he couldn’t help it when his lips moved automatically to consent. He didn't regret it, though. He could picture Iruka’s broken-hearted expression in his mind and he knew that he would have crumbled in the end, ending him up in the same position he was in now.

As he watched Iruka buzz around he couldn’t help but smile, seeing how Iruka was so happy to just be doing this one little thing that resembled a normal life away from annoying politics and tiresome work. Normally, Kakashi would have been annoyed to be out in the cold and be wishing to go back inside to hibernate the day away but he didn't mind being outside at the moment and he even felt happy, spending this little amount of time with Iruka in the cold, grey outdoors and hoped briefly that the moment would never end.

Until he noticed one thing in common with each and every tree Iruka admired and gazed at: all the trees Iruka looked at were REALLY big. So big, in fact, that he doubted they’d be able to get one of them in through the front door much less to stand in the living room.

“Uh,” the vampire spoke, about to comment on said tree detail, “Iruka?”

“Yeah?” giving Kakashi an inquiring smile, Iruka hopped back into view from behind a tree that he was starting to get fond of which also happened to be at least fifteen feet tall.

“Well,” the vampire shivered and continued, “I was thinking that maybe we should get a small tree this year.”

A confused look crossed the tan features, “why would we do that?”

Kakashi shifted in his spot and gestured with a nod of his head to the surrounding greenery, “Well, all the trees here are at least half the size of the apartment and I really doubt they’d fit…”

“Hmm,” Iruka hummed as he contemplated the new problem that arose, “you do have a point.”

With a more reasonable goal now, the duo set out again but with a less than fruitful result.

How it ended: with them staring down at a foot-tall, scrawny twig that could not have even been considered a tree, sticking out of the ground, it’s even thinner branches poking out as if ready to stab someone in the eye with little clumps of needles on their end.

The tenacious little thing took the stares that both vampire and werewolf gave it and tried to throw them back with all its little tree fury.

“Is it…?” Kakashi nodded as Iruka trailed off.

“Yup,” the older man knelt down and poked at the ‘stick’s’ trunk. “I can’t believe it’s still alive.”

“It’s hard to believe it even survived the past winters. I didn't think it would survive this long….” Iruka mused in astonishment as he cocked his head to the side and furrowed his brows, looking in slight confusion at the little tree they had found a while searching for a tree last year…

Contemplating the little, unassuming plant, Kakashi looked up at the brunet, “we could use it…”

“As our tree?” Iruka gave Kakashi a surprised look that turned into one of doubt. “It’s hardly big enough…”

“As opposed to all the other trees…” the vampire smiled and gestured with a thumb to the smallest tree in sight (after the twig in front of them) which was at least twenty feet tall.

A weary sigh erupted from the teacher, hating the fact that they both knew Kakashi was right. “All right, then, if you want it so much, you have to pull it out of the ground.”

A smirk was given in response as Kakashi cracked his knuckles confidently and shook his hands out, bending down to grasp the twig’s trunk, “easy as pie, I’ll have this out in no time…”

Without seeing the sly smile Iruka gave, Kakashi gave a sharp tug at the little tree, looking at it in surprise when it didn't budge. He pulled again with greater force only to have the thing stick where it was, giggling bubbling up from behind the struggling man.

“You think this is funny?” Kakashi demanded with his hands on his hips to a chuckling Iruka who tried to supress the laughing by pressing a fist to his lips that barely concealed his smirk.

“No….maybe…..yes,” Iruka spurted out through his gasps for air and he turned his back briefly to Kakashi to regain his composure.

Only to have something cold hit the back of his head.

Stunned, Iruka turned slowly and brought a hand to the back of his head only to find that the snow was already melting from his warmth, turning into water that dripped down into the back of his coat. He stared slack-jawed at Kakashi as the silver-haired man whistled and avoided his gaze in a fake-innocence act.

The vampire finally looked at Iruka from the corner of his eye and grinned, earning himself a snowball in the face.

Kakashi shivered and whipped away the snow off his face as a strained, devilish smile painted his features, chuckling unsteadily. “Oh, you are so on.”

Iruka only had time to squeak and dash off before Kakashi came running at him full force with a snow ball ready in his palm. The snowball flew and hit a tree as Iruka ducked behind it, gathering snow to form a ball of his own and launching it when he poked out.

More snow flew until they finally found themselves stepping back into their home, shaking as much snow and cold water out of their hair and clothes as possible. The little tree had been uprooted not long ago after an hour of Kakashi tugging and pulling at it and was now placed in a little pot that was found inside the shed in the backyard with dirt that had been dug up in the backyard.

Iruka plugged the cable into the wall and watched as their handiwork came to life in the dim light of the afternoon.

The twig was encircled with a gold garland that had been cut to size and a small cable of white lights found in the window at the corner store on the way home. Exactly three mini ornaments hung from the stick’s tiny branches that bent under the light pressure. The thing looked slightly pitiful but seemed amazingly proud for a twig.

Iruka nodded in satisfaction and Kakashi smiled, “looks good.”

“Yup,” Kakashi conceded as he backed up onto the couch and dropped onto it with another heavy shiver that went unconsciously unnoticed by the werewolf. His clothes were freezing cold, making his pale skin break out into goose bumps whenever they sat on it too long. At this rate, he would be coming down with a cold anytime now.

Glancing at the vampire, the younger man saw how Kakashi’s clothes were still damp and dropped down next to him. “You should probably change out of those.”

A hand grazed the skin of Kakashi’s closest hand and pulled back in shock at how cold it was. “Kakashi, you’re freezing!”

Seeing Iruka’s wide concerned eyes, the Jōnin smiled and shifted his hand closer to himself. “It’s okay-”

“Okay?! Are you kidding me? You’re like ice…” the brunet snatched Kakashi’s almost blue hands and held it between his own warm palms, heating the pale hands slowly within the embrace of his smaller ones. The vampire coughed in embarrassment and shifted his fingers so that he was holding Iruka’s instead, looking up as Iruka did in worry and wonder.

“I said I'm fine,” the silver haired man’s voice came out soft and husky when their eyes made contact, causing Iruka to blush. Though, he couldn’t look away from the taller man’s visible eye.

“You don’t feel fine to me…” Kakashi smiled fondly as Iruka gave him a small one in return.

Kakashi could feel the warmth in his hands spreading up into his arms and around the rest of his body, doubting that it was because the physical warmth coming from Iruka’s hands but because he was holding Iruka’s hands and how their eyes didn't part, even when they were less than an inch away from each other. His breath was stolen from him as he felt Iruka’s on his lips but he could feel his heart speeding up by just being this close to the little werewolf and how Iruka’s eyes never left his, the glittering lights from the tree reflecting in the auburn orbs. He wanted so badly to lick those pink, chapped lips that were parted ever so slightly to tempt him closer. He was pulled closer by them until he felt their noses brush.

He blinked in realization and quickly pulled back, hopping off the couch as he said, “you’re right. I’ll go take a shower.”

Iruka watched as Kakashi fleeted up the stairs and gasped a deep breath full of air when the vampire disappeared. The air had been filled with so much tension Iruka had felt it hard to breathe, his inside screaming at him in promise that Kakashi’s lips held the air his body so desired. If the other man hadn't pulled away, Iruka knew he wouldn’t have been able to resist the temptation any longer and would’ve….

 _I almost kissed Kakashi…._ with that thought, Iruka blushed hard enough to make a tomato jealous and pressed a fist to lip mouth to try and stop his now wildly speeding heart.

-X-

Biting down on his lip to supress the moan that threated to escape, Kakashi was left panting hard against the side of the shower as the hot water kept his heated flesh warm and washed away the residue that came with his steadily falling heart rate. He pushed his limp and heavy body into the direct spray and let the calming flow pour over him until he deemed long enough and twisted the current shut.

 _I almost kissed Iruka…_ Kakashi grabbed a towel and scrubbed his face to try get to rid of the hot feeling that was pushing itself back up.

After staying in the same home with that cute werewolf for over two decades, one would think the duo would have gotten over the initial attraction between each other….

Over the past few years, though, that hadn't been the case for them or, at least to Kakashi’s knowledge, the vampire hadn't. In fact, it had grown stronger and had changed into something else.

The vampire didn't want to contemplate the feeling though.

He was satisfied with simply watching Iruka from a certain distance and dreaming of the brunet when he slept or touched himself. He didn't want to find that the feeling was something stronger than a friendly bond and to have Iruka reject him over the pretense that the werewolf wasn’t ready or he thought Kakashi was just trying to take advantage of him, insert excuse here.

Scrubbing his body dry, he padded down the hall with a towel wrapped around his waist, slipped back into another pair of clothes and made his way downstairs to find the younger man he had just been thinking about crouching by their little tree.

The brunet was dressed in a new pair of plain jeans, a faded red shirt and Kakashi’s old leather jacket. Spotting the vampire, Iruka stood and grinned, a blush creeping up his cheeks.

“You’re leaving already?” Iruka’s smile softened at the question and he looked at the ground as he went to the door and slipped on his shoes.

“Yeah,” the werewolf grabbed his scarf from the one of the coat hooks on the wall by the door and wrapped himself up in it. “I want to get there, help them and get back as fast as I can.”

With an unseen nod, Kakashi moved next to Iruka as he was pulling on his boots.

“When will you be back?” Iruka finished with his boots and stood up, thinking for a few moments.

“In a few days…maybe a week,” the brunet watched as Kakashi nodded, opening his mouth to say something before snapping it shut and opening it again, “could you….um…”

Iruka bit his lip and looked away, forgoing his stupid question in favour shaking his head. After all, Kakashi hadn't seen his to the gates in ages. Why would he want to now?

“Yes?” Iruka glanced up to find the older man had stepped closer, into his personal space, studying his face that was brightening with another blush at their proximity.

“Um, I-it’s nothing,” reversing until his back touched the door, Iruka glanced away and fumbled for the door knob. “I…should be going.”

Once the werewolf had bolted out the door, Kakashi pushed it closed and sighed to himself as he was left alone in their little apartment for the he-couldn’t-remember-how-many-ith time. He caught a glimpse of something sparkle in the corner of his eye.

He turned to the gleaming, little twig in the corner of the room and ambled over to it, crouching down next to it and giving it a smirk. “Well, little guy, I hope you’re going to like your stay…maybe you could keep me company while Ruka’s away.”

As he admired the petite tree for a few moments, his eyes caught on the less-assuming thing that stuck out from behind it. Kakashi shifted the tree slightly and slid out a thin box, an envelope sitting on top. He sat down next to the tree and crossed his legs.

The rectangular package was covered in cutesy wrapping paper that had Kakashi furrowing his brows in puzzlement at the sight of the happy, fat penguin cartoons. The vampire took hold of the envelope and flipped it in his fingers, looking it over to find the words _“do not open ‘til the 25th”_ written on the top and smoothing his fingers over it until he decided there was a letter inside.

He set the letter down beside him and picked up the box, turning it upside down to see if there was anything written underneath.

There was nothing but he instead found the package to be heavier than he expected. The weight felt all too familiar to him but he couldn’t place where he had felt it before.

He shook of the feeling and set the package down.

It seemed as though Iruka had decided to give him a Holidays’ present.

The Jōnin’s eyes widened.

Wait….did that mean he had to give the werewolf something in return?

# Part 2

December 25, 6088 (2 days later)

 

“Thanks again, Iruka. We really appreciate it that you came.” grinning, Iruka scratched the slope of his nose in embarrassment.

“I don’t mind at all, Raidō.” the vampire smiled too. The werewolf shrugged as he set down another pile of papers into a folder. “Besides, I imagine it to be very difficult to coordinate all the missions by yourself, especially with the wave of excess missions coming in…I have no clue how you managed so far…”

The newly appointed chunin blushed at the compliment and looked away, “thank you, Iruka. It means a lot coming from you.”

“Huh?” Iruka looked up in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Well…you’re the founder of Base Nine,” Raidō said innocently. The werewolf looked away.

No one knew that except Base Nine members, the Kages and Kakashi….

“Where did you hear that from?” Iruka asked, staring into space at the folder in front of him.

“Um…” the older man paused and thought before shrugging, “I can’t remember well but I know it was while on the undercover mission I had last month near Sunagakure…I thought the man was on a mission from another Hidden village and was trying to establish contact with another shinobi. I told the …”

Iruka hummed in response, nodding as he changed topic, “so, how are you and Genma these days?”

The question provoked a happy smile and Raidō started off with about how they were doing amazing and how his partner was going to get promoted soon but Iruka couldn’t be any less interested as his thoughts were elsewhere.

X~X

Slamming the door open, Iruka flew into his old home and scrambled down into the basement. He hadn't been home since he left with Kakashi almost three decades ago and he hadn't slept since he arrived in the Sixth City.

He hadn't bothered to take off his boots and was leaving a snow trail from the door to the basement as he went straight for the secret room…

Only to find the door to the secret door was wide open.

Iruka slowly made his way to the room and saw the destruction that had come to the small room.

The room had been ransacked. The candles had burned down to puddles of wax from being left there to burn on the desk that had its drawers gutted and thrown to the floor, exposing the nothingness that lay inside. Most of the books that had once sat on the bookcase opposite the desk had been flung to the floor, ripped to shreds while one or two were still on the bookcase.

After pushing through the mounds of books on the floor on his knees, the home’s owner concluded that some of the most valuable books in his collection had been taken.

The worst possible solution Iruka had come up with as to how Raidō knew he was Base Nine founder had come into light.

Someone had infiltrated the ANBU cities and was now telling the secret of the cities to the outside world.

With trembling hands, Iruka grasped the desk’s edge to steady himself, overcome with a sudden dizziness that threated to make him collapse.

Moments passed and the werewolf finally recovered.

Their secrets had made it all the way to the Wind Country.

Biting his lip, Iruka bolted up both sets of stairs and searched the second floor until he found the thief’s point of entry. The window in Kakashi’s old room had been broken and pile of snow had accumulated beneath it. The room hadn't been damaged beside the broken window and the light amount of snow on everything as well as all the other rooms on the second floor and Iruka sighed in relief at the miniscule mercy.

He rushed back down the stairs and locked the house back up again, heading for the last home he’d be stopping at in the Sixth City before running back to Konoha that night.

“Huh? Iruka?” Raidō asked as the light from his apartment shone out into the darkness of the night and onto Iruka’s face as he gave the vampire a grin smile.

“I'm sorry to bother you, Raidō, but I have to ask you a couple of questions about the man who told you that I founded Base Nine.”

The man, as Raidō described, had been thin and sickly pale with greasy black hair that reached down passed his shoulder and had disturbingly unsettling, black eyes to match. With each new piece of information, Iruka’s face darkened.

“It turns out that someone had broken into my house and stole a very important book from me that contained information about the hidden village’s past and their locations.” Seeing Raidō’s eyes widen, the brunet continued on. “So, now I think that someone’s passing information about us onto the outside world.”

“Do you think it reached the Council?” the other brunet worried, voicing Iruka’s own worries.

“I hope not,” standing from the kitchen table, Iruka made his way to the door and stepped outside. He turned back to Raidō one last time on the doorstep. “Hey, could I ask you one last thing?”

“What is it, Ru?” said teacher smiled sadly at the vampire’s concerned expression.

“Could you send someone to fix the window on the second floor of my apartment?”

X_X

Kakashi stared. Kakashi stared very hard. Kakashi stared very hard at the box. Kakashi stared very hard that the box sitting on the table.

It was mocking him. He could tell. It mocked him with its happy wrapping paper that sing-songed, “ _I know something you don’t~”_

The letter was mocking him too.

Finally admitting defeat to his curiosity, Kakashi snatched the letter off the table and ripped it open. Ha! Take that you stupid folds of paper! Kakashi was the conqueror of papers! The champion of-

The vampire felt his heart skip a beat as he read the letter.

 

_Dear Kakashi,_

_I’m writing this letter in the event I’m not there when you open your gift which is probably the case if you’re reading this._

_First off, I’ve wanted to tell you for a while now that I know. I know how you applied directly to the Hokage to become a shinobi. I know how you passed the genin test. I even know how you passed the ch_ _ūnin and the Jōnin exams. I am wondering why you didn't tell me but I’ll ask you that myself when I get back._

_Anyway, that’s not the only thing I have to say._

_It’s about the box. Please don’t get mad at me when you open it. It’s just…I bumped into Ko when he was coming home and he said that you stopped at your old home and….well, I couldn’t help it when I smelled something different coming from your room…_

_I'm sorry for going into your room without your permission but I hope you won’t get mad at me, knowing that I took this._

_-Ruka_

Kakashi had to reread the letter over again at least four times before the words started to sink in and he let a breathless chuckle escape when the paper fell from his fingers to the tabletop.

So, Iruka knew all along…

He felt grateful he didn't have to tell the teacher but…

Iruka still wanted to know why he didn't tell him.

His insides cowered at the thought of giving his house-mate his pitiful explanation.

He shook off the thought and set that hurdle aside for later, glancing towards the box sitting in front of him and feeling his heart clench.

He knew, in his heart, what it was but pushed the hope aside as he slowly tore the paper, revealing a beautifully smooth, mahogany case that gleamed in the kitchen light, its golden hinges and fasteners reflecting and catching his eye.

The vampire unknowingly held his breath as he flipped up each catch and lifted it open, able to breathe no more or less when he saw what lay inside.

It was the white light saber.

It was in the same sheath and had the same hilt but it looked almost brand new. The old, weather-worn sheath had been polished and the hilt had been cleansed of dust and other grime until it seemed like new again. The saber felt warm and new in his hands but it still kept that familiarity about it.

Gliding the weapon out of its scabbard, Kakashi’s breath caught again as the blade was exposed. It wasn’t new, Kakashi could tell by the way it almost gave off a glow, an ethereal light that gave the weapon its name but Kakashi remembered how rusted and broken it had been. The weapon’s new blade must have been forged from its old one to give off such a glow.

Kakashi stared at it slack-jawed for the longest time before he snapped back to the present.

Crap, now he really needed to get something for Iruka!

_X_

Asuma hopped down from the rooftop and paused at the front door momentarily before knocking. After waiting for a few minutes than necessary, the bearded man knocked again but with a more successful result.

The door flew open, revealing a half-hazard-looking Kakashi dressed in an old pair of pajama bottoms, plain tee and an open sweater despite it being five o’clock in the evening. Kakashi frowned and furrowed his brows, narrowing his eyes, “you’re not Iruka.”

“I hope not,” the werewolf snorted before giving the other man a raised eyebrow. “You okay?”

“Huh?” Kakashi looked down at himself. “Oh, I guess I forgot to get dressed…”

Frowning, Asuma shook of the act of oddness and went back to the task at hand, “the Hokage got an urgent message from the Sixth and it turns out Iruka’s coming home a little earlier than planned. I thought you might want to know.”

Kakashi nodded but kept his eyes narrowed, “how’d you…”

“I was there when he got the transmission,” with a nod from the vampire, Asuma went on, “it seems as though someone broke into your old apartment and stole some important info on the Hidden Villages.”

“When will he be back?”

A shrug, “he left right after he sent messaged us. He should be back by midnight at the latest,”

Kakashi nodded again, thanking Asuma before the werewolf left with a nod and closing the front door. He was thinking over the new information as he padded up the stairs, sliding his hands into his pockets to find a small slip of paper sitting in one.

He pulled it out to find one side inked with the ANBU symbol on it while the other read, _“locker 36. 7 o’clock. Don’t be late.”_

# Part 3

His breath came out in short puffs of cold smoke as he pushed on faster through the foliage, determined to make it to Konoha regardless if the sun set before or not. His legs and lungs were burning from the high exertion over such a short period of time but he didn't dare stop to rest for fear that he probably wouldn’t have the will to stand again after.

The sun went down not long after but he pushed on and kept running, ignoring the trails bellow him and focusing on going in a straight line from the Sixth to Konoha. The moon was high in the dark sky, shedding enough light through the branches of the trees for Iruka to see where he was going.

The night was in full swing by the time the werewolf caught a glimpse of the shadowy gates, sighing in relief through his puffs of breath and increasing his speed further.

XX-XX

Kakashi felt like a dummy.

He had been searching for hours for something to give Iruka, something that would make the brunet smile or bring happy tears to his eyes like his present had with Kakashi (the smile, of course, not the tears). After looking almost all over town for something even remotely resembling a good present, the vampire turned up empty handed. There was nothing that seemed…

Good enough.

What do you get your house-mate/crush?

He really liked Iruka, a fact that was undeniable, and he wanted his present to come from the heart.

For past Christmases, the duo had never really given each other anything and Kakashi hadn't even thought of giving Iruka something for any special occasion until this year.

But now Iruka had gotten him something and he didn't want to seem like an ungrateful pig.

It was almost six and Kakashi had nothing yet to offer.

Except if he went with his original plan, of course….

XX~XX

“Kakashi!”

A huffing and puffing Kotetsu sprinted up to him, using his werewolf speed to flash into his gaze. The man’s hair was more wild than usual and his eyes were alight with a strange sort of anticipation, the fact he was still in uniform did not go unnoticed by Kakashi. The vampire frowned, “what’s up, Ko?”

“Well, I was on my way to tell the Hokage but I found you first so I thought I might as well tell you…” the younger man glanced at his watch before turning his gaze back to Kakashi. “You know how Aota and I have gate duty tonight, right? Heh, turns out we spotted a fast-moving figure approaching the village only a minute or two ago. We sprung out the binoculars and who do we see but little Ruka…”

Kakashi’s lips turned up into a smile and his eyes flashed with relief, gladness and something else Kotetsu couldn’t associate with except worry but the young man brushed it off, smirking in satisfaction that he got the answer he had been hoping for.

Something was off and Kakashi dropped the sigh that went through his whole body at hearing about Iruka’s early return but something in the way Kotetsu watched him made Kakashi wary to react.

“What do you want Ko?” the werewolf pulled an innocent face.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about-”

“You were watching for my reaction, what’s up?” with a narrowed glared from Kakashi, Kotetsu raised his hands in a defensive position and grinned.

“Well, Aoba and I were chatting about how you and our little Ruru were getting pretty…” with a sly smirk Kotetsu nudge the vampire in the ribs and wiggled his brows, “close…”

With an exasperated sigh Kakashi quickly switched the subject, “so, you’re telling me Iruka’s not back yet?”

“Ah~!” all too late, Kakashi realized his mistake as Ko’s face lit up with comprehension, “so you do like him!”

“Of course I like him, I live with him,” Kakashi retorted.

“Yeah, but you like-like him too!” Kotetsu urged.

“I do not.” Kakashi argued.

“Oh, yeah? Then tell me why, when you changed subject, that certain subject was Ru?” Kotetsu backed.

“I was concerned!” Kakashi responded.

“You’re blushing!” Kotetsu pointed out.

“Am not!” Kakashi snapped.

“Because you like-like him!” Kotetsu grinned.

“No, I don’t!”

 “Yes, you do!”

“No, I don’t!”

“Yes, you do!”

“No, I don’t!”

“Yes, you do!”

“I love him!”

Both jaws dropped. Kakashi quickly slapped a hand over his mouth and turned away, leaving just as another called.

“Ah! Kakashi! Kotetsu!” a dark-haired man in a shinobi uniform hopped down from a rooftop between the slack-jawed werewolf and the vampire who was trying to hide his flushed cheeks. Aoba smiled sheepishly. “I just wanted to inform you that Iruka was just spotted beyond the city gates and will be here shortly. For real this time.”

~x~

Boots trudged down the halls, echoing off the walls as Iruka, flanked by Izumo and Asuma, hurried towards the Hokage’s office. He dropped the formality of knocking on the door, ripping it open and hastened to the Hokage’s desk. Notting how there were a number of other people standing by the high man’s desk, Iruka glided through the path the quiet group made for him and gave a small, less-than-formal nod to the old man.

“Iruka,” Sarutobi nodded and Iruka licked his lips nervously.

“I'm sorry returning from my mission before it was completed but I have some urgent business that needs to be discussed right away.” After a pointed look to the people in the room from the Hokage, Iruka shook his head, “they can stay.”

This afternoon, I learned from a reliable source that someone had told them about the Hidden Cities while they were in a small town ruled by the Council. I can home to find my old house had been broken into and it seemed as though it had been done some time ago.” Iruka turned to the people in the room. There were multiple uniformed Anbu in the room like Panda and Puma as well as a couple of non-uniformed ones such as Ibiki and Asuma. Izumo, Kotetsu, Aoba, and other shinobi stood amongst them, even Kakashi was there as Iruka could see from the fluff of white hair poking out from the crowd.

Aoba stepped forward casually, raising a hand to speak, “how do you know someone broke into your house? Was there any signs of forced entry?”

“Yes, the window upstairs in Ka-the guest bedroom was open and I found a room downstairs to be ransacked.” Iruka answered in a flat tone, glancing in Kakashi’s direction to find the older man looking pensive. “There was nothing missing except one book, a book that contained the names of all the Base Nine members as well as the history of ANBU.”

“And how does this affect us?” the group turned on the young shinobi who had spoken from his place in the crowd.

“Because,” a voice called from a corner of the room. “That information can act as a piece of proof to sway the Council to take action against us.”

Everyone spun around to watch as the small shadow in the corner spoke, finally coming into the light once he finished his version of the explanation.

Sasuke stepped into view, giving the whole group a blank stare.

“You’re not supposed to be in here,” someone from the groups said but the youngest man didn't respond facially.

“I graduated from the academy last summer. So, I am, by law, a shinobi and have just as much right to be here as any of you do.” The young Uchiha said simply and crossed his arms in a defensive position. The room set the issue aside for now and went back to the present matter.

“So, what do you think we should do about this, Iruka?” Asuma asked from his place next to Ibiki.

After thinking about that very question on the way back, Iruka nodded and quickly went into his plan. “I think a small team should follow the trail of rumors to their source and stop whoever’s trying to reveal us before word reaches the council.”

The Hokage spoke up, “yes, we’ll use that plan to find the culprit. Does anyone here volunteer to take the mission?”

“Since I'm the one who initiated it, I’ll go,” Iruka confirmed.

“Good. You’ll choose another shinobi to assist you-preferably one of high rank-and you’ll set out for Suna before the week ends.” The Hokage waved them off and the group flowed out of the room, Iruka shutting the door behind him as he left, turning to find a handsome shinobi waiting for him.

A uniformed Kakashi stood against the wall opposite the door, clad in the usually shinobi attire except for a distinct blade that was strapped on his back, between his shoulder blades, causing Iruka’s cheeks to flush at the sight. For one reason, Kakashi was both infinitely too gorgeous for his own good and the other being because he had the White Light Sabre and shinobi uniform which indicated he had read Iruka’s letter.

“I'm sorry,” Iruka paused, surprised and confused at the words that left Kakashi’s mouth.

“What are you apologizing for?” At seeing the puzzled expression on the brunet’s face and hearing his question, Kakashi pushed off the wall and closed the distance between them, scratching anxiously at the back of his head.

“Well, I didn't-”

“Iruka-sensei.” A voice called from down the hall and both shinobi turned to find the littlest Uchiha standing a few feet away, arms crossed with a look of determination on his face. With a sorry smile to Kakashi, Iruka went over to the boy, listening when the boy spoke resolutely. “I'm coming with you on your mission.”

“Sasuke, I'm sorry but I can’t bring you with me.” Iruka knelt down to come level with Sasuke.

“I'm a genin, I have the right.” The young man stood his ground.

“Yes, but then you’d be going against the Hokage’s orders. He asked for me to take with him a high-ranking shinobi.” Sasuke stayed silent after those words and let his head fall slightly, looking down at the floor with sad eyes. Iruka sighed, “I know that this might have to do with Itachi but there’s little chance that we’d come in contact with him.”

“You’re going to ask _him_ to come aren’t you?” the change of subject almost gave Iruka whiplash, catching him off guard and causing him to stutter.

“I….I don’t know, it really depends, Sasuke.” With one last nod, the boy spun away and left on quick and certain feet. A moment passed as Iruka digested the situation and shook off the guilt that pooled up at having to turn his student down, standing and turning only to bump into a solid chest.

Iruka gave an unmanly squeak and almost jumped away in surprise until Kakashi grabbed the brunet’s shoulders and chuckled. The blush that tainted Iruka’s cheeks only served to make him smile more. The werewolf scowled at him and looked away, rubbing at the mark across his nose as he hissed, “don’t do that!”

“Don’t do what?” Kakashi grinned as he playfully poked at Iruka’s side, causing the teacher to squirm away. Iruka pouted at him from what he had deemed a safe distance (a foot away) and cuffed the vampire’s arm with an impish smile pulling at his lips.

“Don’t sneak up on me like that.” The vampire full out laughed and poked Iruka in the side again, making him yelp and bounce away as he whined jokingly. “And stop poking me!”

Kakashi’s face went suddenly serious and he looked away, “I'm sorry.”

“Huh?” the werewolf lifted a brow in confusion. “Kakashi, I'm not really mad _that_ about the pokes…”

“You know I'm not talking about the poking,” the Jōnin smiled good-humouredly but it fell just as quickly off his lips as it had come. “I'm sorry for not telling you. It’s just…I didn't want anyone to now at first because I didn't want people thinking I was just becoming a shinobi out of duty to the village and I was able to keep it a secret for a long time.”

The vampire shifted from one foot to the other as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Over time, though, I didn't feel like I needed to hide it anymore and I was going to tell you first, Ruka, but…I got teamed up with Anko on a mission and, well, you know how much of a blabber mouth she is.”

“Oh,” a little smile made its way onto Iruka’s face as he felt both relief and embarrassment, his face flushing from the neck up as he said softly,  “well…I-I really don’t mind that you didn't tell me ‘til now…”

Kakashi grinned happily at how smooth that had gone, cheering on the inside that Iruka didn't hate him for keeping it a secret. His face went into one of tenderness as he shrugged off a strap and retrieved the White Chakra Sabre from its hold, slipping the strap back on and holding the weapon delicately in front of him to show how the sheath had been exchanged for a brand-new one that he bought that evening as he looked up graciously at Iruka. “When I was younger, my father was everything to me but ever since he passed away I haven’t gotten close to anyone for long enough to compare it to the bond between my father and me. So, I want to pass this onto you.”

The blade was passed from Kakashi’s hands to Iruka’s uncertain ones. The werewolf stared at the weapon in panic and alarm, “Kakashi…. I-I can’t accept this!”

“Yes, you can,” Kakashi gave him a fond look that froze his mouth. “You’re my best friend, Iruka.”

The world that had been built on an emotion that Iruka couldn’t grasp while Kakashi was talking seemed to crumble beneath the brunet’s feet at that one sentence. He was supposed to be grateful to be Kakashi’s best friend, right? Then why did he feel so lousy about it? True, he felt so special to receive such an amazing and heart-felt gift because he was the vampire’s friend but…Was it because he had hoped to be something more than a friend to Kakashi?

The ANBU swallowed the feeling and stuttered out a soft thank you instead, giving him a strained smile.

A gloomy mood had settled upon the situation and had turned it into something…awkward. Kakashi’s smile had turned more into a cringe and Iruka’s smile had faded, turning his attention and muddled thoughts onto something that had become very interesting on his boots, holding the sabre with gentle care. The silence was starting to become suffocating and the air between the two shinobi was thickening with more and more uncertainty that emanated from the two of them. The feeling grew and turned into something else until it reached the brink of both their capacities.

Thankfully, the two were saved by a gruff voice that rose from the pair of doors down the hall. “Don’t you have somewhere to be, Kakashi?”

Turning his head, said vampire gave the Hokage a grateful but confused look that changed to just plain grateful after a few seconds.

By his side, Iruka gave a confused ‘huh?’ and Kakashi flashed him another smile. “Sorry, I got to run but I’ll tell you about it later!”

With a two fingered wave thrown over his shoulder, Kakashi strolled off down the hall, feeling Iruka’s confused stare following him until he rounded the corner and setting himself to the task of finding the elusive locker 36.

Iruka was left in the middle of the hall, feeling a lot like he did after his and Kakashi’s almost-kiss right before he left, abandoned and confused.

__X__

52…..51…..Kakashi frowned. He checked the number on the little slip of paper in his pocket again and glanced back at the number on the last locker in the row. He scratched in head in confusion then flicked his gaze down the rest of the hall, seeing nothing left in the hall save the lockers that went into the hundred numbers on the other wall and the windowless door to another room.

Wait a minute…. That was the same door Iruka had popped into to change out of his ANBU uniform, Kakashi recalled from his first evening in Konoha. It was the ANBU changing room. There was bound to be lockers in there, right?

Checking to make sure no one was coming down the hall, the vampire slunk his way over to the door and tested the knob to find it turned smoothly under his grasp. He gave the hall one last look before slipping inside the room and shutting the door silently behind him.

Despite the room being empty of people Kakashi felt like eyes were watching him as he studied the rows of lockers that lined the walls and the door to his left that probably lead to either a storage room or a room for secret files that only ANBU had access to.

Kakashi turned his attention back to the lockers and scanned the numbers on them ‘til his eyes reached the number he had been looking for along the far end of the left wall. He cautiously made his way over to the locker and pulled it open, the locker neither rusty nor creaking as it swung out.

Inside, a white and red face stared up at him from the shelf at eye-height as well as the purple-tinted armour and black pants that the mask was sitting on. A little note much like the first one had been placed right in front of the mask, the ANBU symbol facing up at him. Kakashi read the little paper and felt his chest swell with accomplishment and pride as his lips turned up at the corners, his worry of Kotetsu telling anyone his little ‘secret’ floated away.

He dropped the note back onto the shelf and grabbed a hold of the mask with gentle hands, noticing how light it was as he smooth his fingers over the front.

The vampire was about to check out the armour when he noticed another note that had been hiding under the mask. Once it was read, Kakashi chuckled to himself, understanding now how they got his measurements despite the fact he only went to Hitome for his Jōnin uniforms.

_“I knew you’d go far, sonny! Good job! -H”_

After neatly folding the uniform and clothes into the backpack at the bottom of the locker, Kakashi delicately placed the mask on top and noted how his new codename sounded good to his ears. He slid the pack on, snatched the papers from the locker and shut it closed quietly before exiting, stopping at a garbage can along the way to throw out Hitome’s note and the official one that read,

_“Congratulations, Hound.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys might have noticed that this chapter was the same as the one of ffnet and that's because......it is. This chapter and the following ones were all edited before they were uploaded so, the next chapter will be coming sooner than before!


	22. Chapter 21

With a tired sigh, Kakashi dropped his bag at the foot of the couch and flopped onto it, groaning into the cushion at the end.

Unfortunately, on the way home, a certain werewolf had stopped Kakashi.

X-X

“Well, I don’t want to talk about it,” Kakashi snapped, trying to maneuver around the other shinobi.

His good mood, at being promoted to ANBU, had been very much ruined thanks to one certain younger man, who had unintentionally made him blurt out his feelings for one very cute brunette whom he lived with.

There was no doubt that Kotetsu had told someone about the fact, being the gossip whore he was, and now the news was probably common knowledge to every werewolf, vampire, shifter and human in the village. Iruka even probably knew, though that was only an assumption that made Kakashi dread going home.

“Just hear me out, okay?” Kotetsu pleaded, moving to block Kakashi off with his arms. Kakashi sighed and gave up his attempt to run with a glare pointed at his nuisance, knowing that Kotetsu would get to him eventually. The brunet ignored the glare and lowered his arms, tension still running through him in case Kakashi decided to bolt. “I didn't tell anyone.”

“Is that a lie too?” the vampire sneered, remembering how Kotetsu had lied to him about Ruka being back, a lie that was denounced by Aoba who actually did spot Iruka coming home after the joke.

“No,” Kotetsu frowned guiltily, “no it’s not. But, in my defense, everyone guessed it a long time ago.”

“What!” At seeing Kakashi’s shocked face, Kotetsu chuckled lightly.

The werewolf’s face went serious again. “You should tell him, it would make your life a whole lot simpler.”

Kakashi had left, Kotetsu calling after him, “I know from experience!”

X-X-X

It seemed as easy as pie, the way Kotetsu put it but… Well... It was easier said than done.

_I love him!_

Did he? Did he honestly love Iruka? Sure, he and the werewolf had been friends for many years now, but was the thing he felt for the brunet more than friendship?

It was easy to say he had been (and still was) mesmerized by those warm eyes and that charming smile. Heck, he could definitely say that he was even enticed to do some interesting things with Iruka when he first met the teacher.

But that was before the secrets started showing up.

Was he able to look passed all the secrecy?

Tensing, the vampire listened as the front door opened behind him.

“Oh, hey,” the dejection in Iruka’s voice brought Kakashi’s head to snap up as the brunet shuffled passed him and collapsed at the kitchen table, dropping his head to the tabletop with his arms flung out on the table in front of him. At once, Kakashi knew something was wrong.

Rising gracefully from the sofa with furrowed brows, the vampire cautiously approached the teacher. He felt a wave of gloom drop down on him once he got within range of the brunet, feeling Iruka’s full woe.

As to not startle him, Kakashi gently placed a hand on Iruka’s shoulder, “you okay?”

“I-I….I don’t know…” the brunet pulled his head off the table, a frantic look in his eyes, and scrubbed at his face, groaning as he relayed how their place in the Sixth City had been robbed, how information was going around about the Hidden Cities and Raidō telling him how someone near Suna had told him that.

“Well, how do you know the info’s leaking at Suna?” Kakashi asked only to have Iruka throw his hands up in defeat.

“I don’t! Every Kage knew about the book! I know I can trust the Hokage but the others….”

With a nod to say he understood, the vampire asked, “so, what are you going to do?”

Iruka stared at the table for a few moments with his hands laced together on the table and his lips pursed before stating, “I'm going to go to every Hidden Village and talk to each Kage.”

“But you just got back.” Was the protest.

“We can’t waste any time.” Was the counter.

“Why can’t you send someone else?” The werewolf lifted his head and their eyes met. Kakashi felt his heart clench when he saw the sadness and worry behind Iruka’s eyes.

“So far, the only people I’ve told are Raidō, the Hokage and you. I don’t want word about this to get to the public, the less people who know the better.” Kakashi nodded, knowing that the decision had been made and that the werewolf was determined to deal with this.

Somehow, though, there was dark feeling hanging in the air and there was no doubt that both of them could feel it.

With a sigh, the vampire lifted his hand off Iruka’s shoulder, to Iruka’s dismay, and went over to his backpack, asking, “You’re at least going to take someone with you, right?”

Iruka nodded only to realize Kakashi probably couldn’t see the nod with his back to him and stated, “yeah, ANBU.”

The brunet watched as Kakashi nodded and shouldered the bag, heading up the stairs as he asked, “you’re going to bring along the newbie. Hound, right?”

“Yeah, we’re going to-” Freezing once those words sunk in, Iruka frowned at Kakashi as the other man smirked. It dawned on Iruka that no one outside ANBU was supposed to know the new ANBU’s codename and that he had certainly not told Kakashi.

“You know, Iruka, you really are extremely light.” At seeing the younger man’s shocked face, Kakashi winked with a chuckle and headed up the stairs, leaving Iruka to stare after him. Iruka could only try to fit the puzzle pieces together.

He didn't know yet who the examiners had chosen for ANBU, he didn't even know who had taken the exam. He knew that the newbie would have already been informed by now but…. With what Kakashi was hinting to, it seemed as though the one chosen had been the Seventh examinee; the one that had beaten Iruka at the combat test who, as it seemed, was Kakashi.

From where he was folding away his new uniform, Kakashi could hear all the way in his room the noise of confusion that Iruka made, snickering to himself at the noise.

“EHHHHHHHH?????!!!!!”

X~X

The next evening saw the duo standing in front of the Hokage, both of them geared up in the ANBU uniform; Kakashi with his brand new Hound mask and tattoo flashing two types of red while Iruka sported his ears and tail to complete his Wolf persona.

“This mission is of the utmost secrecy and is not to be told to anyone unless given permission from me, the Hokage, or of higher rank. Your mission starts now. You are dismissed.”

With a silent nod they flashed out of the room, hopping rooftops, past Konoha’s gates and into the forest beyond.

They had already made up the plan the night before, pondering over a map and discussing strategies on the tabletop in the basement with Iruka almost painfully blushing bright pink every time their hands or eyes met. The plan was of the reconnaissance type; watch over each Kage and the village they ran until deemed either innocent or guilty of leaking information to the outside world.

They decided that a week of spying would suffice. One of them would watch a Kage while the other was to keep their ears open and listening for any bits of info they could use to find the leak. They would go to Kirigakure first then sail to Kumogakure. After, they would travel through the land of snow to get to Iwagakure, avoiding the main Council-run areas completely. Then they would slip through the Land of Birds to get to Sunagakure.

In all sincerity, they were both not looking forward to the whole mission. It would be a long and demanding journey but at least they would know where their mole was hiding and could take action.

_X_

“Iruka!” the vampire called into the wind that whipped harshly at his eyes through his mask, squinting against it to make out the werewolf’s slim form in the blizzard that surrounded him.

He shivered again against the cold that the ANBU cloak he wore hardly kept out. His vampiric body was already giving him the warning signs that he would soon freeze and he pushed harder through the snow and called Iruka’s name again with more urgency than before.

“Yeah?!” with a sigh of relief, Kakashi shuffled his way to where he had finally spotted Iruka’s faint, backpacked form a few feet away and hugged in close to his teammate, feeling Iruka’s constant body heat radiating off him like a little sun.

“I think we should make camp for the night!” he called into the brunet’s ear once he caught up to where Iruka had been standing in wait for him. Iruka nodded and pointed straight ahead into the distance.

“The shore’s not too far away! There should be a cave there!”

Kakashi nodded against the wind and followed Iruka across the frozen ice of the ocean that they were crossing to get to Iwa after finding no clues to the information leak in Kiri or Kumo. Sailing had not been an option as the ice had frozen over even harder for winter, so they had decided to trek it across the barren wasteland of ice that used to be water.

It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now the vampire was seriously regretting his agreement. Not only was it freezing cold out but the fact that they were walking on what used to be raging, freezing cold water did not put Kakashi at ease.

The shoreline was just beginning to come into view when Kakashi let his guard down, his pace unintentionally increasing at the thought of getting warm and cozy by the fire they would undoubtedly make. His long legs ate up the distance between him and Iruka and soon enough they were both walking side by side.

Iruka suddenly stopped, calling out to Kakashi with an outstretched hand, “wait! Kakashi, stop!”

It was too late though for Iruka to get the point across to the older man who had stopped in his tracks as the sharp cracking noise he had heard increased twenty-fold as the vampire fell through the ice into the freezing cold water below.

“Kakashi!” scrambling to the edge, Iruka thrust his arm into the water to grab the hand that was disappearing faster than he could reach into the black abyss of the water below. He was about to start panicking, ready to jump in when something snatched at his hand under the surface and he quickly pulled up with all his might until Kakashi’s dripping form broke the surface , pulling the older man out onto the ice with all his might.

They both dropped to the surface once the vampire was completely out and Iruka sighed happily when he heard Kakashi’s coughs, signaling that the man was alright.

It was the harsh gasps after that made his eyes widen and his body shoot up from the ice.

“Shit!” He quickly crouched next to Kakashi and helped the shivering man to his feet as best as he could before slipping an arm around the taller man’s waist and bolting for the shore, Kakashi clinging to his neck as best as his shaking arms would. They stumbled up the shore and Iruka swore when the older man’s legs gave out on him, bringing them both to the ground.

Pushing Kakashi off him, Iruka rushed into the cover of trees until he almost ran into the side of the mountain and followed the rocky wall until he reached the cave’s entrance. The large boulder that was covering it was pushed aside with all the strength Iruka could exert on it and the brunet bolted back to the shore once there was cleared enough.

He found his poor teammate curled into a tight ball where he left him and had to drag Kakashi by the armpits as the man was shaking so much he could hardly stand. Iruka pushed on to the cave as fast as he could and dropped Kakashi onto the cold stony floor that was thankfully cleared of snow thanks to the wind’s direction, quickly ordering to him before shrugging off their pack and sorting through it, “hurry and take off your clothes.”

Training and experience kicked in and the new ANBU was already trying to unzip his coat as Iruka fumbled in the pack with hands that shook from not the cold but fear and panic. Iruka stopped all movement for a moment and took a deep breath, thinking,

_Everything’s going to be alright, just stay calm and take things one step at a time. First thing: a fire._

A lighter was produced from the backpack’s confines and Iruka quickly lit a fire with the wood that had been stored in the back of the cave from past ANBU who used it.

_Done. Okay, second: get him out of whatever’s wet._

By then, Kakashi had made it out of his gloves, shoes and armour, his pace slowed by his trembling limbs. Iruka hurriedly shed his own armour and gloves, rushing over to the vampire and helping the man to get his gear and clothes off as fast as possible.

Clothes and accessories were thrown to the back of the cave with a clatter and Kakashi felt his knees buckle beneath him, landing on the stone beneath with pain that felt ten times stronger from the cold that seemed to be slowly turning his blood to slush.

He was pulled back, as close to the flames as he could get without getting burned alive and warmth literally sat itself in his lap when Iruka straddled his thighs. His cold arms shot out and brought the brunet closer, trying to get as much heat as they could while Iruka wrapped his arms around the older man’s head, remembering the survival tactics he’d been teaching for years now and how the head was the most important area to keep warm.

Iruka shivered when the vampire buried his head in his neck and curled his arms tighter around the brunet’s back, the shivering and shuddering only climbing in speed.

Minutes passed and the werewolf tried to suppress the frightening facts that were bubbling to the surface. Even though they were both pressed up against up against each other in nothing but their boxers, cold skin against warm, the older man in Iruka’s arms was not getting any warmer, neither was the shaking becoming any less fierce. It was when those thoughts finally sunk in, that the terrified tears started welling in his eyes.

_He’ll die if I don’t do anything._

_But I can’t lose him…._

_He’s more than just my best friend…_

_And I…._

Squeezing his eyes shut, the brunet hugged the vampire tighter as the tears that accumulated fell, Kakashi’s whole body twitching and going through spasm against Iruka’s own.

He knew what would help and he knew that there was only one way that Kakashi could get through this. He was scared at what helping the vampire would imply….

But he was even more afraid of losing Kakashi.

Cursing his delayed reactions and all the reasons they were in this situation under his breath, he gave one last sobbing breath before steeling his resolve and wiping his tears away with the back of his hand.

“Kakashi?” There was a grunt from the vampire who lifted his head stiffly from the warmth of Iruka’s neck.

Once the werewolf was the blue and grey complexion Kakashi sported, his determination raised a thousand fold and he firmly shut his eyes as he said with an eerie calm, “you have to drink my blood.”

“N-n-no…R-Ru-Ru-Ruka….’m n-not-t gonna-” Iruka cut him off with a quick shake of his head, opening his eyes as he pursed his lips.

“You’re going to die if you don’t.” There was no response to the statement beside Kakashi burying his face in Iruka’s hair. Iruka pressed on desperately clinging to Kakashi’s freezing, bare back as he sniffed, “please, Kakashi…. It’s just a little blood. I know you won’t hurt me. Please….. You’re my best friend…. And I….I….”

Swallowing passed the knot in his throat, Iruka pushed the other man away enough so he could look him in the eyes.

The older man bit his lip and scanned Iruka’s eyes for any hesitation, his jaw shaking so much that some of the droplets of water left in his hair dripped down. Finally, at seeing the distress and plea in the werewolf’s eyes, the pale man nodded, “’kay…..b-but…yo-ou have ta…t-tell me if-f…”

With a small nod of understanding, Iruka gave him a soft smile and licked his lips, slipping an arm tighter around Kakashi’s shoulder and dropping his head onto the other so that the junction between his neck and shoulder was laid out before the silver-haired man, who was drawn forward by not only how enticingly sweet the skin smelled but also by the way the firelight flickered against it. At the soft sight, he was pulled forward, inducing a shiver from the brunet when he lightly drew his nose along the skin of Iruka’s shoulder all the way up till his ear.

Strangely enough, the vampire could feel his heart rate slow in an odd stillness at just the smell of Iruka’s blood and he sighed in contentment, feeling the tension in the brunet muscles slowly ease away as he brought his lips to that golden, warm skin. His pulse came down from its racehorse’s tempo until it matched Iruka’s nervous skipping pace and he took in one last gasp of air before fulfilling urge of his body’s craving.

Expecting the searing agony that came with his first vampire bite, the brunet flinched when he felt those icy fangs sink in and waited for the pain to come only to have his eyes flutter open a few moments later after the initial sting of the bite. Instead, he could only sense the beating of his heart in his neck that grew with every passing moment until he felt like his whole body was pulsing, realizing that both his and Kakashi’s pulses were beating in unison.

The vampire’s grip on his back changed and made both men jolt with gasps when his fingers danced like lightening over Iruka’s skin. Iruka could only hum in bliss when Kakashi’s fingers moved again to create a static-like sensation and his hands unconsciously slid up to run themselves through Kakashi’s hair, prompting an appreciative groan from the older man.

The heat in the air around them was starting to become suffocating and Kakashi could hardly get a grip on the reality of what was happening, starting to lose himself in the atmosphere that only revolved around him and the little werewolf that was in his arms. He finally had to draw away, gasping for air as he pulled away from the taste that he couldn’t exactly described except with the word ‘addictive’.

As if released from a spell, Iruka took a first shaking breath, his vision blurry slightly around the edges. He pulled his head back to its upright position, his neck mewling a little with protests that were overlapped by his raptured state, only to have his eyes meet Kakashi’s.

It was ages till Iruka finally leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together, making Kakashi smile lethargically and draw idle circles on the brunet’s waist as his heartbeat slowed down from the high they had been through, both of them oblivious to the blood that was starting to dry on Iruka’s neck and Kakashi’s chin.

“Mmm….tired,” the older man chuckled at the word murmured, maneuvering them both until they were lying on their sides, limbs tangled together as they both drifted off into sleep with Iruka curled up against Kakashi’s chest and the fire at Kakashi’s back.

X~X~X

A yawn broke the silence of the morning and Kakashi extricated himself from the jumble of limbs on the floor, stretching his limbs out and giving another louder and longer yawn than before. He rubbed at his eyes as he padded over to the mouth of the cave, peering out to see that the snow storm from the night before had dissipated to nothing and that the sun was shining brightly in the sky. The snow reflected its light into the vampire eyes and he blinked with narrowed eyes at the almost barren landscape of nothing but snow and a few shrubs covered in more snow.

The ANBU turned back to the cave and scanned their things, noting that all the things had been thrown at the back of the cavern and that the fire from last night was nothing more than ashes.

The rest of the details around him were forgotten though as his eyes lighted upon the young man sleeping soundly from where Kakashi had left him. After studying the dozing brunet, he couldn’t help but smile with an emotion closely acquainted with pride.

When he had first met the brunet, he remembered that the teen had been as thin as a stick and had been deeply disturbed by this, taking it upon himself over the years to thicken Iruka out. It was now as he looked upon the smaller man that he could say with a little pride that his ribs didn't show as much as before and that Iruka probably couldn’t get any thicker even if he tried since his physique was so petite.

The real emotion came out when he saw the dark purple bruise on Iruka’s neck that showed brilliantly against his suntanned skin. He couldn’t help but feel a wave of tender satisfaction and possessiveness when thinking of how Iruka had melted under his touch, shivering at the recollection of Iruka’s enthralling taste on his tongue and he wondered if Iruka’s lips had the same addictive quality.

With those thoughts, he couldn’t help but lick his lips, finding that he had Iruka’s blood drying on his chin. Scratching off as much as he could, the vampire moved to the back of the cave to rummage through their belongings with ANBU stealth as to not wake his werewolf up.

He froze for a few moments after the thought.

His werewolf…. With a chuckle, he smiled.

He very much liked the sound of that.

Brought back down to reality, Kakashi flicked his head to the sleeping teacher behind him at the sound of Iruka stirring.

The senior ANBU had curled up into a tight ball, arms tense and tight as his little form shook from not cold but by something that turned Kakashi’s smile into a frown.

He had been hoping before their mission began that maybe some time out of Konoha would be good for Iruka as the werewolf had been having reoccurring nightmares over the years. He had been very wrong. It seemed as though it had done the opposite, the facts being that the brunet would wake up with a jolt when Kakashi was on his turn for watch duty and insist he’d take over watch and that he was fine when Kakashi asked if he was okay.

Kakashi had the sneaking suspicion that this was all tied back to one name that Iruka had tabooed to ever be said in his presence. The secret, it seemed, was becoming more of a burden than the little teacher could handle by himself.

He was about to think that if Iruka would only trust him more to tell him that he wouldn’t have to be the only one to carry the burden but stopped himself with an actuality.

Iruka had let him drink some of the brunet’s blood.

That point itself was enough to silence anyone who knew Iruka and the horrible past he’d had with vampires and his blood. The vampire thought back to when he’d almost bitten Iruka in the Sixth City before they came to Konoha and the terrified look on Iruka’s face. Since then, Iruka had learned to trust Kakashi enough to even suggest giving the vampire his blood.

It took time for him to get warmed up to the idea of being bitten but he had enough trust in me to let me have his blood last night. Maybe, with time, Iruka will tell me about Naruto.

Curiosity to know had been slowly gnawing at him over the years but he could wait until Iruka was comfortable with telling him his secrets, knowing that it would happen eventually.

He turned around to kneel by the younger and brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen out of the brunet’s ponytail, Iruka hummed at the contact and relaxed in his sleep.

Maybe he’d tell Iruka in the morning that what they felt last night wasn’t what one would usually experience in the feeding process…. That there was something between them that had run deeper than just the physical…

Maybe I’ll even tell you that I love you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked.


	23. Chapter 22

“Daddy?” the little red-head peaked out into the living room to find Daddy by the window, looking out the window by pulling up a slat of the blinds. That was weird, why was Daddy up? It was really late, even Daddy should have been in bed by now. So, why was he up? And why was he looking out the window?

The boy shuffled into the room, “Daddy?”

Daddy swirled his head really quickly towards his son with an angry face and said, “Gaara? Why are you up so late? You’re supposed to be in bed.”

Gaara looked at his feet and said quietly, “I had a bad dream…”

The Kazekage’s face melted at the sight of his little boy and scooped him up into his arms, saying warmly, “Well, you need to get some sleep, okay? You know what the doctor said, right?”

Gaara nodded his head dutifully and cuddle against his father’s neck, trying to get comfy and do as the doctor said while the elder Sabaku walked them back to Gaara’s bedroom. He laid the little boy back into his bed and went back to the bathroom to grab a bottle of pills as Gaara picked up the glass of water by his bed.

As he studied the little bottle, he frowned and hoped that a slightly higher dose would help with the insomnia.

The little boy chugged one more gulp of water and licked his lips, yawning once his dad came back into the room from putting the bottle back for the second time that night.

“Daddy?” the brunet smiled down on his sleepy son and sat at the edge of the bed.

“Yes?” Gaara scrubbed at one eye with a fist and sniffed, curling up into his bed as his Daddy pulled the covers up to his chin.

“Are you sure you’ll make it tomorrow?”

“Of course, I wouldn’t miss your first day for anything in the world.” Smiling at the reassurance, the boy drifted off as his Daddy left the room.

Temari and Konkuro flinched as their father shut the door, scrambling over each other to get to their appointed rooms as the Fourth said, “You two should be in bed.”

The siblings froze and turned back, giving up the quest to be quiet and going to their father’s side.

“It’s getting worse. Isn’t it, Daddy?” Temari asked sadly.

The Kazekage got down on a knee and hugged the two of them close in a gesture that spoke more than words could, the children glancing at one another and hugging him back.

“He’ll be alright, Dad.” Konkuro encouraged and Temari nodded in support.

X_X

Sighing, the brunet headed back downstairs after putting the last of his children asleep and slumped into his chair by the window. Unfortunately, he had bigger problems to deal with than his son’s sleeping issues.

It had been a week since he’d received the death threat and it was starting to frighten him. The note had threatened that if he looked into the matter of the strain of gossip about the Hidden Cities floating around the local Council towns, he and his children would ‘disappear’. ‘Disappear’ meaning that they would be kidnapped and he would be forced to watch as his children were brutally tortured until they died.

He hadn't looked into the matter since then and he hadn't even dared to tell the other Kages about it, much less one of the Base Nine. In truth, he was scared out of his wits and he was becoming even more sleep deprived than Gaara from paranoia and guilt for not informing the others of their slow downfall that was currently in process.

Biting his lip, he padded out of the living room and back to his room after checking all the doors and windows. He slipped beneath the covers of his bed and lay there for an eternity, trying to come up with a way to save what was left of his family.

'If only you were here, Karura. You would know what to do.'

He stroked the empty sheets on the other side on the bed longingly before flipping over onto his side and closing his eyes.

\----

Dull light drifted down from the reflection of the moon on the window above, the figure below crouched near the wall until another black-cloaked one slid out of the shadows and came out of the shadows of a nearby mansion. The figure stood and the other nodded visibly.

In seconds, the figure had climbed the wall to their back and was slipping into the room above, towering over the man who had finally fallen asleep and slid out the tantō out of its sheath.

X~X

The slow warmth of the sun on his lids languidly pressed itself against his eyes, melting into his head until Iruka blearily came to consciousness. Frowning against it, he cracked his lids open briefly before snapping them shut against the sun’s rays. With a yawn and multiple blinks, Iruka finally opened them fully only to find the hard rock above and around him that gleamed with the morning sun unrecognizable.

Iruka sat up and rubbed at his eyes in the light of the sun, stretching out quickly and standing as he brushed a hand through his loose hair to pull out the elastic that clung desperately by the ends of his hair. It took a few more moments but his mind finally revived the memories he was searching for; the trek to Iwa, the cracking ice, Kakashi’s frozen skin and his horribly blue lips.

The thought flit through his mind and was erased by a fact that brought the werewolf’s hand to his throat.

Iruka huffed vacantly when his fingers found only a light tingle when they slid over the place where he remembered the warmth had started before spreading and he flushed at the recollection.

It was moments after he glanced at his toes that his eyes flew back up and scanned the caved, taking in the pile of gear and clothes at the back, his backpack off to the side, the dying fire and the significantly missing vampire.

A light breeze slid into the cave and Iruka shivered as he rubbed his arms, noting how Kakashi’s things were deliberately laid out on the floor to dry.

Minutes later found Iruka sitting crossed-legged by a newly revived fire that wasn’t lit for its heat but more for its comfort in a new change of clothes, trying to get a hold of himself.

To be honest, there was nothing wrong with him, he knew that and his body knew that but his mind was hinting that there were other things under the surface that needed to be taken into account. Maybe it was the fact that they were in the middle of nowhere or that they should have been at least two or three miles away by now.

No, that wasn’t it. They’d been moving quickly before last night and were a little early. This little delay wasn’t exactly a hitch.

The young man bit his lip and rubbed his arms from non-existent cold.

It was easy to think it wasn’t Kakashi, they were getting along great, after all. It was easy to think that the older man was just a friend or that last night was just Iruka being one in return. When it came down to the bone, though, Iruka didn't know if those words would be able to leave his lips. They would be lies.

Shaking his head, he shuffled to his pack and started to reassemble it in the hopes of clearing his mind.

He couldn’t take his mind off of his partner. It was a plain and simple fact that was growing even stronger by the minute as if Kakashi was digging himself a hole in Iruka’s head.

Groaning and flopping on his back against the hard floor, he moaned, “What’s wrong with me?”

 X-X

The honey-haired vampire sighed and pushed on through the snow, trudging along after his boyfriend who stopped in front of the door of their destination and left the door open behind him. Genma frowned and stepped inside, shaking off the snow from his shoulders and immediately feeling the pulse of…something flit through the air.

It wasn’t something he hadn't felt before, it was something close to an after-image of the people themselves…sort of (if that made any sense).

The sensation was reflected in the home itself and Genma fidgeted under its roof, somehow feeling as if he was intruding on something or seeing something private. It was uncomfortable.

“Rai, how long do we have to be here?” the brunet chuckled as he slid off his coat and boots and padded up the stairs.

“Don’t worry, it won’t be for long. We’ll just clean up the window upstairs and then we’ll be out of here.” Genma frowned and followed Raidō upstairs, taking in the layout as they headed down the hall on the second floor. They felt the cold air billowing from the open door long before they even finished coming up the stairs and Genma flinched at seeing the huge pile of snow that had accumulated over time from the broken window.

As Raidō stepped forward, the other chunin glanced around the rest of the top floor, peeking into the bathroom and last the master bedroom.

Curiously, he poked around the room, pulling drawers open on the dresser and found them to still have clothes inside, a fact that almost surprised him until he remembered Iruka having more clothes back in Konoha. Deciding silently that that was Iruka’s room, he went over to the desk and pulled open a drawer to find letters and papers neatly stacked along with an organized space for pens and pencils.

Genma chuckled and took once last look around the room before snatching a pen and sauntering back to what must have been Kakashi’s room. Back in there, he frowned when he saw Raidō giving the snow-scene a concerned look, noticing that Raido had dumped some of the snow out the window with the little, plastic shovel they’d brought.

“What’s up, Rai?” the brunet glanced up and frowned again, gesturing with a chin towards the window.

“I kicked most of the snow out but there’s something bugging me.”

“What’s that?”

“I would’ve picked up glass with the snow, right?”

Genma froze and snapped his head to the floor, seeing that there was little to none glass shards at the foot of the window, the smallest pieces of glass only needles on the floor. He turned to his lover, “and you’re sure you didn’t pick any up?”

At the responding nod, Genma’s frown deepened and Raidō asked, “What do you think it means?”

“We’ll see.” Raidō hurried after the other vampire as Genma hurried down the stairs, slipped back into his boots and went around the house to the side where the stood bellow the broken window. Raidō dropped the shovel into Genma’s waiting hand and watched as the other man dropped to a crouch and delicately scraped away the first few layers of snow until he reached the glimmering pieces of glass he had guessed were there.

“So?” Raidō probed.

“Well, it looks like someone wasn’t trying to get in.”

“How so?” Genma stared at the glass thoughtfully.

“Glass goes whichever way you hit it.” he looked back up and saw his boyfriend’s eyes widen.

“I’m guessing that this ‘storm’ excuse is to cover up something bigger, huh?”

x-x

The light, quick steps on the snow startled Iruka into action, the werewolf quickly dousing the fire and hiding in the shadows of the cave, waiting for the new arrival to peek inside with a kunai in hand.

He didn't expect Kakashi.

The vampire found himself within an inch of his life, grasping the wrist that had almost sliced his throat. It took a few seconds to startle the both of them out of the shock-induced trance and Iruka snatched his arm back, saying his apologies as the older man shook his head quickly and pulled them back into the cave.

“What’s wrong?” Iruka asked as Kakashi’s actions brought a heavy air of seriousness into the cave, the vampire kneeling swiftly by their things and starting to pack them back up an urgent aura filling the both of them.

Kakashi glanced up and said quickly, “I found a set of footprints coming from the direction we came last night. They went around the other side of the mountain.”

“You don’t think….?” at the realization, Iruka dropped to his knees and helped shove things into their backpacks.

X-X

Kakashi frowned and watched the horizon carefully, his eyes scanning the snow-covered meadow they crossed not too long ago as the rush from their run wore off, leaving him feeling only apprehensive towards the midday sun and the skyline of trees. Pushing away from the tree he’d been leaning on, he headed back towards the little site where Iruka was nervously shuffling through their packs.

Snapping his head up, he asked fretfully, “so?”

“Still nothing.” Kakashi said with a shake of his head and Iruka bit his lip anxiously as he zipped their things closed.

Shrugging their things back on, they headed away from the melting piles of snow on the trees and dead grasses and deeper into the thin forest of even thinner trees. The hasty walk was silent and uncomfortable and Iruka couldn’t help but glance over at his partner out of the corner of his eye as he readjusted the straps on his shoulders and licked his lips.

Eyes flitting over the older man, he took in the way Kakashi stood straight up with a posture that even the most trained warriors didn't have and the way the vampire agitatedly licked his lips and glanced back over their shoulders from time to time. Iruka felt a prickle of envy touch him when he thought about how cool and calm Kakashi could be at times, like he had been just a few minutes ago, unlike Iruka’s own panic-ridden packing.

The envy, though, was replaced with a sudden gloomy feeling in the pit of his stomach at the thought of how many other shinobi were like that too and how many had tons of other skills he didn't have. He couldn’t help but feel so small in comparison to them.

Shaking his head, he let go of the fact he wasn’t as qualified as all the others and focused on how he was of use.

At least he taught the younger generations, that was something, right? He could complete missions quickly and efficiently but…what was there after that?

It was then that a fact became apparent to him about the aforementioned vampire.

Kakashi’s cheeks were rosy, flushed even.

Was it because he was…..warm?

With a startled flinch, the silver-haired man spun his head towards the werewolf who so suddenly reached out to touch his cheek, “what-?”

“You’re warm.” The brunet said in astonishment as his hand moved away from Kakashi’s cheek to rest on the older man’s forehead, finding that it was radiating slight warmth as well.

“Huh…” Iruka dropped his hand and Kakashi touched his own forehead in amazement as well.

“Do you think..?”

“Maybe…?”

They both stared at each other, both wondering if the blood Iruka had given him last night was the cause but not having the resolution to speak it.

“We should keep going,” breaking the trance that had fallen, Iruka glanced away and picked up the pace.

Kakashi watched as Iruka jogged on for a few moments, following after the werewolf at his own bewildered pace as he huffed in wonder.

~X~

By the time they reached Iwagakure, it was already dark out and the shadows that the rocky mountains gave off were growing thicker and longer by the second. Kakashi fidgeted as they passed through the rocky cliffs and picked up his pace until he was almost glue to Iruka’s back.

Due to that, he pretty much crashed into the werewolf when he glanced back at the shadows for the thousandth time, not paying attention and incidentally walking over the little brunet who had stopped abruptly.

Kakashi was just about to ask what was up until he glanced over Iruka to see the gates of Iwa standing tall and proud with a figure standing in the open gateway. The taller man’s brows rose up under his ANBU mask and Iruka’s heart fell at the sight of Asuma standing with the city’s lights at his back, the trail of smoke rising from his lips billowing up like a beacon.

Wrinkling his nose, the brunet sighed, “I thought I smelled something…”

“Don’t think he’s here by accident?”

“Nope,”

“What do you think he wants?”

The werewolf shrugged and advanced towards the gate, saying as he approached, “let’s go find out.”

_x_

“That’s why he sent me here and the other teams to the other Cities.”

The other werewolf nodded listlessly in the shadow of the City’s walls, the words ‘total coverage’ and ‘prolonged, secret investigation’ ringing through his head as Kakashi frowned at the rock beneath his feet and turned his head back up to the taller brunet.

“So, what happens now? Do we go back to Konoha or do we continue our mission?” Asuma shook his head.

“I don’t know what he’s thinking but what I do know is that the Hokage can’t trust anyone now, including you, Iruka.” Asuma shook his head and turned back toward the gates, the frown on his face deepening from annoyance. “He can’t even trust me.”

Iruka nodded again with more vigor, spurred on by Asuma’s concern, “with what Rai and Gen uncovered, the facts all lead to someone who has either master lock-picking skills or has a key to our house.”

“Either way, they weren’t clever enough to remember to break the glass from the outside.” Asuma blew out a puff of smoke just as Kakashi’s face froze.

“What if their objective was just that, to make it seem as though someone broke the glass from the inside, implying the fact that someone was faking a break-in?” Iruka flicked his head up to meet Kakashi’s eyes as the words popped into his head.

“So, they’re trying to frame someone?” Asuma spoke their words out loud and asked, “Well, who were they trying to frame then?”

“Probably Kakashi or me…”

 “And it had to be someone who has or has had access to our keys.”

“That could be anyone.” Iruka mused, none of them remembering who had visited the duo in the Sixth.

“Anyone that we know…” those words hung heavily in the air, a steady reminder that, from that point on, no one could be trusted.

XX-XX

“I’ll let you know as soon as I find anything.” Iruka nodded thankfully towards the taller brunet when he requested to keep watch as they shook hands.

“Thanks again, Asuma,” the younger werewolf smiled sadly. “I know it must be hard that your own father doesn’t trust you.”

“It’s okay, you know how he can be…”

They could both remember a time when the wise man known as their Hokage used to be the great adviser of the small, underground group known as the Base Nine and how he used to sit in the shadows of the basements that the few vampires who supported them let them use, everyone turning to him for the final consultation.

Asuma sighed and escorted the little brunet to the gates where Kakashi was standing loyally and at the ready. “you better take care of him, Kakashi.”

At the grim promise, Kakashi nodded respectfully and glanced towards Iruka, “ready to go?”

The werewolf took one last look at Asuma and Iwa and nodded in farewell.

Xx-xX

“Come on, Ruka!”

It was the early morning and the sun was beating down on the duo so hard that the line between the sky and the sand was starting to meld together. Kakashi trudged on under its heat, not even breaking a sweat.

Whereas Iruka…..

Well, he was a little hotter than what was healthy….

Iruka felt as if his skin was made of lava, trying to find some relief in the air he took in through his pants that were becoming more and more desperate by the second. The world around him spun dangerously to the left and righted itself just as quickly to drop again to the right.

He was stumbling along slowly feet behind Kakashi who was walking without a care in the world under the fiery sun. The vampire was feeling happily at ease on the white-hot sand unlike how he was biting the cold only hours before. He couldn’t help but feel lighter as he slowed to a stop on one of the taller dunes, taking in the view before him, almost able to see the ridge of rock that he knew probably belonged to Sunagakure.

“Hey, Ru, I think I see it!”

When he got no response, he called out again, “hey, Ruka!”

The next few moments were empty of replies and Kakashi turned back to see only sand, his heart rising into his throat as he called for a final time, “Iruka?”

In the silence that followed, Kakashi bolted down that dune and up onto the last one to find the little werewolf lying face-first in the boiling sand.

“Iruka!” he quickly slid down the hillside and dropped to his knees, flipping the brunet over to find the younger man was passed out, sweat pouring down his face like a waterfall and his ANBU suit visibly drenched in sweat. Swearing to himself, he shucked off his bag and pulled out a water bottle to slowly drip it into the brunet’s mouth until Iruka coughed and sputtered out half of it.

Kakashi sighed in relief and pulled the dazed Iruka up into a sitting position so that he could cough up the rest. Sitting there once the fit was over, the bottle was pushed into his hands and the werewolf drank the rest of the bottle.

Maneuvering them into the shade of the next dune, Kakashi pulled the younger man onto his lap so that he was sheltered from the sun as Iruka snuggled closer to the older man who felt like a nice breeze against his skin. The brunet murmuring something akin to ‘feels good…’ as Kakashi pulled out a shirt from Iruka’s pack and wiped off as much sweat from the werewolf’s body as he could.

The blur was starting to clear from Iruka’s mind and his head stopped spinning so fast so that he could grasp a little of the reality in front of him. He was able to differentiate the difference between the sand and the sky soon enough but he still felt light-headed.

“You okay, now?”

Swallowing against the feeling of sand in his mouth, Iruka slid his eyes open to find Kakashi watching him with concern and he slowly nodded. “Sort of…”

The vampire nodded, unseen by Iruka, and sat there watching the sun slowly sink down until it wasn’t as powerful and the air was slowly going from werewolf-melting-point to something a little more bearable. Kakashi glanced down at Iruka and rubbed his thumb against the brunet’s cheek, murmuring little encouragements to wake up until those auburn eyes fluttered open.

“Kashi?” the younger man frowned up at him and yawned, rubbing his eyes as Kakashi stood the both of them. Seeing how Iruka swayed unsteadily on his feet, he pulled out another bottle and pushed it into the shorter man’s hands.

“Here, have a bit before we set off.” As Iruka drank, Kakashi eyed the sky wearily, almost able to feel the temperature change in the air.

\--X--

Suna was unlike any other city Kakashi had seen before with its low buildings that were just far enough apart to facilitate the traffic of people. Iruka, on the other hand, felt like throwing up.

There was an odd taste in the air that Kakashi probably couldn’t feel and the werewolf’s instincts were going insane with all the work-out they were getting. It wasn’t just because of the feeling in the air too. At some point during their walk through the village in the civilian clothes they had changed into, Iruka had glanced behind them to find that there had been a certain shadow following them for a while now, a shadow that would try and hide when Iruka looked back.

The bad feeling that reverberated through his heart increased as the rabbit-masked ANBU stepped out of the shadows of one of the buildings and greeted them.

__X__

“We are so happy to have you two with us,” the Kazekage smiled and offered them a seat at the round table in front of them.

“We’d prefer to stand,” the whole was more suspicious than ever now, even Kakashi could feel that dark presence in the air now. After all, this whole mission was supposed to be a secret so…..how did they know they were here? It would make sense if they were watching the village so tightly but that was something a little…odd.

Iruka could count the number of things that were off, even the Kazekage was one. Normally, the older brunet would have simply closed the doors behind them and gotten right to the point but this wasn’t at all like him…

It all made him want to go for the safety of the kunai in his pack….

The light of the setting sun streamed in through the windows that were high up on the tall walls of the counselling room, coming in such a way that the rafters above them were barely visible, a note that Kakashi noticed right away.

The eldest man sat at the head of the table and smiled, tipping Iruka over the edge.

This was when Kakashi let the shuriken in his palm fly less than visibly inches away from the Kazekage’s face.

As the ANBU in the shadows threw the countering kunai, Kakashi smirked, saying, “Well, looks like we have a little rat watching us.”

The next few seconds were a whirlwind as Iruka jumped back just as Kakashi stepped into his place, his and the ANBU’s kunai clashing with bright sparks. They both jumped back to their partner’s sides moments later and Iruka froze as he saw his own ANBU mask staring back at him from across the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked!


	24. Chapter 23

The small gasp that emanated from Iruka was what made the whole room freeze in confusion, the Wolf-masked ANBU standing above them on the conference table that separated them from the Kazekage.

“Surprised?” The man at the head of the table asked, standing up to saunter over to the cloaked figure on display in the setting sun. “I guess you don’t look in the mirror much, do you, Iruka?”

The ANBU hopped down from its perch and settled in front of the brunet who shouted loudly, “guards!”

Two shinobi raced in, armed and prepared for a fight, but faltered at the sight in front of them.

“W-what?” Raidō’s arm drifted down from his combat-ready position.

“Iruka? Kakashi?” Genma gritted his teeth at the sight they had burst into, knowing that this situation probably had to do with what he and Raidō had discovered at Iruka’s place in the Sixth. “What’s going on here?”

“They tried to kill me, dispose of them.” The Kazekage’s order left the two shinobi staring at him blankly, unsure of what to do.

The next few moment s passed quicker than any of them could follow as the Wolf-masked ANBU and the silver-haired man clashed again, weapons glinting as they swung swiftly at each other, both intending to kill.

Iruka didn't have enough time to join their battle as he dodged a shuriken aimed straight of his neck, snapping his attention to the Kazekage who taunted him forward with a grin. Cheetah-like as his tail and ears sprung out for dexterity, Iruka sprung forward, slipping the kunai he had been itching to grab out of pack and slicing forward towards the man who was definitely not the Kazekage.

His slice at the older man’s face was dodged and Iruka felt his leading leg kicked out from under him. He hit the ground face-first just as the imposter pulled out a hidden kunai and was about to shove it through Iruka’s skull, the smaller man rolling onto his back just in time as the kunai sliced the air where his head had been and implanted itself in the ground. Using the enemy’s close-range, the younger man pulled a leg up to kick him in the face and sprung up from the ground with the moment the move had created.

Kakashi and the other imposter danced in the meantime, throwing kicks and slices without actually hitting each other as their bodies flowed in and out of their movements, faster than Genma or Raidō could see.

Their level of understanding had plummeted but Genma had recovered and was now putting all the pieces together. The picture was now clear to him and he reached back to grip Raidō’s hand, saying a few words that brought him to grasp what was going on as well.

Iruka scowled as the ‘Kazekage’ smirked. Seconds later, the fraud spun around and hurried out of the room through the back door, leaving Iruka momentarily stunned before speeding after him. Almost speeding after him, that is.

He heard the sharp clang near his ear, as clear as a bell, and he froze, turning his head to find Kakashi standing ever so close to him, having deflected the oncoming kunai that was meant for his head thanks to the phony ANBU who stalked towards them.

In milliseconds, Raidō and Genma were right in front of them, facing their new opponent as Raidō called, “go on! He’s getting away!”

“They were the ones who broke into your home at the Sixth,” Genma slipped the pencil he’d been holding onto since the Sixth and held it over his shoulder for the two behind him to see. “They were trying to make it seem as though you were the one who did it, Kakashi, since it had happened in your room, implying that you were trying to throw suspicion off yourself. One problem, though; they left their evidence in plain sight.”

“What?” Genma glanced back at Iruka and threw him the pencil.

“That pencil’s been in my pocket for a while now. It’s from your place at the Sixth and it’s been processed by our team back in Konoha. Not only that but the scans have come back positive for not only fingerprints but also a few other ingredients and the imposter over here will most definitely be able to tell you what their combination makes.”

The frown on Iruka’s face vanished as everyone’s head turned to the wolf-masked ANBU whose mask had fallen with a smack to the conference table.

“Let me tell you with all sincerity, dolphin, that I am sorry you had to find out this way but,” shoulders were shrugged. “What can you do, am I right?”

Both Kakashi and Iruka froze at seeing who the spy actually was. Iruka’s head shook back and forth, not believing or understanding what was going on. It couldn’t be. It wasn’t. How could they?

Anko crouched and gave a sad smile, “To be honest, I wasn’t actually framing any of you. I just got a little careless. I really didn't mean for it to turn out this way but….my alliance is better suited with another team.”

“Iruka, Kakashi; go, the other one’s getting away.” Raidō pointed out the retreating figure in the distance and the duo jumped into action.

Sprinting after the other enemy, Kakashi could feel the confusion and shock emanating from his companion. He couldn’t believe it either. Anko? A spy?

He shook his head and sped on after the enemy.

XxX

They slid to a stop, ducking inside the secret passage that hadn't had enough time to close fast enough and sliding down the hole of a passage until they landed in a heap in the light heat of outside. Iruka craned his neck over Kakashi’s shoulder as they disentangled themselves to see their target ducking inside another hole not too far away.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Iruka bolted after the man, hearing Kakashi call out his name as he fell down into the tunnel below the sand, not even thinking of where it led to before.

The incline was what saved him from a painful landing, turning the sheer drop into a soft incline. Rolling, the brunet scrambled to his feet and hit the ground running when he heard the footsteps ahead of him in the dark. The whole tunnel seemed to go on forever in just that one direction and the dark wouldn’t end. Iruka ran, picking up speed as the noises up ahead got weaker and weaker.

Spurred on by the adrenaline that came with the shock earlier, Iruka didn't stop and kept running, running for what seemed like an eternity until he finally saw a dim light up ahead that rushing up to him. It took almost all his strength to stop just in time, face inches away from the steel ladder that led up to the surface.

Breathing heavy and heart beating in his ears, the werewolf stared up at the opening with wide eyes, hands shaking as he brought them up to grasp the bars. He emerged into the light of the moon that made the forest of the Land of Fire glow with an ethereal beauty.

The tunnel had led all the way to what seemed like the edge of the Land of Fire, passing right under the Land of Rivers. The tunnel must have taken years to build, years of treachery and deceit that had gone unnoticed right under his very nose.

Cold brushed over his skin and made goose bumps break out over his skin, his blood turning cold and his breath abandoning him when he left that familiar aura that surrounded the area. He didn't want to turn around, he couldn’t, but something was pulling at his gut and screaming at him to move. He wanted to run but was frozen in place until his feet finally moved by themselves and he turned.

XxX

He was almost there, he could see the light. Panting, Kakashi finally reached the exit and wearily pulled himself out of the underground path, pulling himself upright once the moonlight covered him.

The scene that greeted him was not a pleasant one. The air tainted with an arctic feel that had nothing to do with the light sprinkling of snow on the ground.

Iruka was standing stock-still, his eyes wide and empty as they gazed out at the duo who stood at the edge of the meadow they found themselves in. Kakashi was about to reach out to him when his eyes focused properly on the two figures who finally became clear in his eyes.

XxX

Genma gritted his teeth and launched himself at the woman again, slicing at her throat with a kunai as Raidō threw a kunai to block her other path. The young woman practically skipped out of the way as Genma zipped after her calling, “Why, Anko? Why?”

“Why?” She dodged a kick and hopped to the side, their voices climbing in octave. “ Why?! Because I don’t want to be on the losing side!”

“Who says we’re losing?” Raidō threw a punch that almost collided with Anko’s nose until the last second where she spun with the punch delivered a hard blow to his stomach, making him double over as she sighed.

“No one.”

Glancing back, Genma almost received an identical punch but anticipated it and twisted out of reach. “Then why are you working for the Council?”

The laugh that Anko let out echoed throughout the hall, confusing the other two Shinobi even further. She wiped away a fake tear as she asked, “Who says I'm working for the Council?”

The room stopped as the two men exchanged glances and threw her a confused look that she smirked at and said with a grin, “I work for someone who’s not as…shall we say….. _Involved_ as the Council. My master and I prefer to stay in the shadows, watching and listening. We do play a big part in this whole thing, though.”

Her face went completely serious as she stared straight into Genma’s eyes, saying, “It’s a pity that the cities will revert back to their previous state, like the reversing of a clock.”

XxX

“You.” Kakashi’s eyes narrowed as the sight of the recognizable bright orange hair came into the light, the Kazekage’s imposter by his side.

“I must say,” Pein was frowning as well, staring at the two ANBU across the little distance with those dead eyes of his, “when they said you’d disappeared, Kakashi, I thought you’d died on a job or something but I never would’ve expected you to team up with the mistakes we misplaced.”

“They’re not mistakes, they’re people too.” Kakashi managed to ground out, his old boss simply closing his eyes and sighing before he set his eyes upon the little werewolf who hadn’t move from Kakashi’s side. “Well, well…..don’t you look familiar.”

“Oh, come on, Pein,” the brunet next to the taller man crooned out with a smirk, “that’s just cruel.”

A small smile appeared on the other man’s lips as he said, “of course, he’s the little runt that got in the way of your little present, am I right?”

“Always are,” Kakashi narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows in confusion, glancing towards Iruka for an answer but receiving none. The ‘Kazekage’ stepped forward in the meantime, splaying his hands as he said, “The question, though, is if he remembers me.”

The man was reaching up to his face as the younger man next to him smirked, “Now you come on, stop teasing the boy.”

“Hmmmm…” the Kazekage pealed back the layer of clay-like material that covered his face and Kakashi’s jaw almost dropped. Orochimaru’s face was twisted into a smirk as he mussed, “but he’s not exactly a boy now, is he?”

Iruka’s hands shook, his heart rate going wild. He was there; Orochimaru was there, right in front of him. After all these years, the man had been right under his nose and spying on him…..using Anko…..maybe others……

“Well, I do see that you’re right, Orochimaru,” Pein turned to his associate. “I’m going to have to send out my troops, after all. The coordinates you gave Itachi…?”

“Are all legitimate. You’ll find it’s been right under your nose this whole time.” The snake-like man threw a grin in Iruka’s direction, as if having heard his thoughts.

It only served to rile Iruka up more, making the brunet’s breathing became more intense. He didn't notice how his tail was whipped around agitatedly and his ears twitched, his mouth forming a jagged line with the snarls that seeped through his clenched teeth.

“Where is he?”

The older man’s brow rose in question and Iruka snarled in annoyance. “Where is he?!”

Gold eyes narrowed in comprehension. “Dear boy, as if I’d ever tell you.”

Claws sprung out and Iruka was in front of the pale man in an instant, swiping at air as the Councilman threw his fist down. The hand thrust itself down, grabbing Iruka's head and smashing it into the ground. He knelt so that that he could speak to the grounded wolf.

"Listen well, boy, because im not going to repeat myself. We're coming for you and your scum. Prepare to feel pain." He stood, leaving the brunet wide-eyed and trembling on thd ground near his feet as he and Orochimaru set off into the forest and disappeared.

Iruka gasped for breath, digging his hands into the dirt as he clenched his teeth. Kakashi watched his mind whirling at the events that had just come to pass, his mind struggling to comprehend what had just been said. What was Iruka not telling him?

“Iruka-” The werewolf suddenly sprung up and dashed back into the tunnel, Kakashi hot on his tail this time, keeping pace as he sprinted right behind the brunet that he thought he had come to understand these past few years. Apparently, he didn't.

XxX

“Kakashi! Iruka!” Genma sat up from his slouch as Raidō ran towards their comrades. “She got away.”

“Damn it.” Iruka bit his lip and leaned his hands on the conference table. The silver vampire took the lead and related what had happened to the duo.

“What?!” their faces were pale with fright and shock. “That means that….”

“They’re coming after one of our cities.” Kakashi said darkly, making Iruka’s eyes squeeze shut until Raidō spoke up.

“You don’t think..?” Genma glanced up.

“That she was giving us one last bit of help?” the honey-haired man looked up with a smirk at Kakashi who frowned in confusion. “Anko gave us a little hint.”

“She said something about how the cities will revert back to their previous state.” Raidō explained.

“’Like the reversing of a clock.’” Genma quoted as Iruka’s head shot up.

“The sixth?” Raidō nodded and the other brunet jumped into action, flying out of the room with the three others right behind him as he headed toward the communication room in the hopes that the Shinobi of the Sixth would be fast enough in getting all the citizens out in time.

XxX

“Hayate! Urgent transmission from Suna!” the young man glanced up from his work and frowned.

“What? But it’s ten o’clock.” The young woman who had run from the transmission room gasped from breath. She was new and this was her first day working in the special section of administration. The call had fired her up and she was almost jumping around with worry for the message.

“It’s urgent! They need to speak with you right away.” Hayate turned back to his papers and looked them over as he gave a dismissal wave in her direction.

“It’s probably just some administrator who wants to contact a friend or something.” That had happened a few times already this week and the last person in the girl’s position had let them chat constantly and use the line for long periods of time, the reason for why they had been fired.

“But they said the message is for the highest ranking Shinobi around. I immediately thought of you, Sir.” Hayate froze. They wanted the highest rank available?

He spun around and stared at her as he asked, “did they give you a code?”

She blinked and said, “Oh! Yes, Sir! Code White, Sir!”

Hayate’s eyes widened before he bolted out of the room.

Code White: the opposite of Code Black. Code Black was an immediate lockdown. Code white was meant for an immediate evacuation.

XxX

“Hey,” the brunet’s head turned up towards the older man who sat down beside him and looked away. Iruka had felt that this talk was going to happen. He had ever since they left Suna.

Raidō and Genma were keeping watch up in the trees as the other two took a break. They were halfway to the Sixth City and only a night had passed since the encounter he and Kakashi had had in the meadow, though, it felt like an eternity. The journey to only this point had been long with the feeling of dread and gloom in the air, the hope for the survival of the people of the Sixth dwindling with every moment. Not only that but Iruka felt as though his heart had been ripped out of his chest, the feeling of betrayal coming back to make him throb with regret.

And Kakashi. Oh, Kakashi. Every time their eyes met, the older man’s eyes would seem to express betrayal too, just as they were now. Iruka couldn’t bear to see those eyes, the hurt they showed making him want to crawl into a hole and hide for the rest of his life.

“So, are you going to explain what that was back there?” the brunet shook his head and buried his face in his knees, unable to look at the other man.

“I can’t,” a sigh was heard after such a reply and Iruka clenched his hands around his elbows harder.

“You can’t or you won’t?” Iruka huffed and glanced up at Kakashi who didn't flinch at the hard stare he received. The younger man looked away, glaring off into the distance. The vampire gritted his teeth.

“Iruka, you know you can talk to me about anything.”

“I know that.” His words were too kind, too sweet for Iruka to keep the glare he tried his best to hold onto.

“Then why won’t you talk to me?”

“I just can’t, okay?”

“Iruka-” the brunet shot up off the ground and gave the best glare he could manage at the moment with his fists clenched, trying to hold back the tears that were coming on fast.

“Just stop it, Kakashi, okay? I don’t want to talk about it, so, just drop it.” the werewolf tried to stalk away but Kakashi was right there in front of him, blocking his path as he stared into Iruka’s unwilling eyes.

“I can’t.” Iruka could feel his cheeks flush in anger as the comeback bit hard at his pride and the fury burst out through his words.

“Why not!?” he yelled, trying to go around Kakashi to no avail as the other man kept getting in his way until Kakashi’s hands finally snapped out and grabbed his shoulders, making Iruka even more angry than before. “Why can’t you just let it go?!”

“Because it’s killing you, Iruka!”

The brunet froze. “W-what?”

“This secret that you’re trying so hard to protect is hurting you, everyone can see that. Everyone feels as though you’re slipping away and we’re afraid of what you’ll do next.” Watery, brown eyes looked away and tried to ignore the truth that was being said from the pleading vampire. “But we all feel so helpless because you keep shutting us out. We don’t want to lose you. We care about you, Iruka.”

The frown that creased Iruka’s lips tremble and his eyes almost spilt over, tipping to the edge of his emotions. He was on the verge of crying but he tried to hold it back as best as he could until Kakashi said the words that brought his whole world crashing down around him, “I care about you.”

Failing to supress them, the tears flowed out and didn't stop. He wept and sobbed, hands coming up to grip Kakashi’s shirt as he felt strong arms pull him close, holding him as he cried. He tried to apologize but his hiccupping sniffing got in the way and he completely broke down. The hardships of the past few days crashing down hard and fast onto him and he couldn’t help by cry harder.

XxX

It was a long while after that Iruka could finally speak, his eyes glazed over when he started speaking from his spot curled next to Kakashi on his sleeping bag.

 

_My childhood hadn’t been the best._

_My father worked for the Council as a messenger and my mother worked as a healer in the little area of Port City. At work, my father would face discrimination while my vampire mother tried to ignore the whispers she got for marrying a werewolf. Dad would come home and drink himself silly. The two of them would argue with each other as I lay curled up in my bed, using my pillow to block out their accusations. They would fight until my mother finally cried herself to sleep, my father passing out on the couch in a drunken stupor. This went on for a long time, until I was about six hundred years old._

_My father had made a friend who was going through the same thing. On the job, the man had met a vampire from a noble family that worked for the Council. They got married and their first son had just been born not long after. Unlike my father, though, the man was valuable to the Council in his line of work even if he was a werewolf._

_They day he came over to visit; he brought his son with him. The boy’s name was Naruto and he wasn’t like other little babies. He was of a different breed from me. He wasn’t a vampire either. Nor was he a human or a shifter. One could tell because of how the baby grew fangs as well as the customary werewolf ears and tail. I found this fact when the baby and I first met. The little tyke had been so excited to see a new face that his tail and ears sprouted along with the sharp pointed fangs._

_I had grown fond of the strange baby and my father often took me to see him at the family’s home which was not too far from ours. When I grew old enough, I walked the short distance myself to the house right down the street to see the ever-growing blond that rejoiced every time he saw my face._

_Naruto’s father was never home much but his mother was always happy to receive my company even though I was only a child. When her husband was away, Naruto’s mother would come over to our house and bring Naruto along. Her visits increased until she admitted in tears to my mother that her husband wouldn’t be able to return home for a while and that he was going to be staying with the Council. On that visit, my mother asked if I could take Naruto to the park down the street so the kid didn't have to see his mother cry._

_That was the last time I saw both our mothers with rosy cheeks. We came back to find the door open. I went in alone, knowing that it wasn’t the norm for the door to be wide open. I walked into the living room to find a man standing over the bodies of our mothers with a bloody knife lying on the floor. Another one walked out of the kitchen with another knife that had slit my father’s throat, leaving him dead in a pool of blood that was visible from where I stood._

_I left without knowing if they saw me or not. I grabbed Naruto and ran as fast and as far away as possible. We only looked back once to see the house burning to the ground._

_Later, I told Naruto that the house was on fire when I got there and that I couldn’t find our parents. I didn't want him to worry about the men I saw and I didn't have the heart to tell him his mom was dead. I mean, he was just a kid._

_We wandered from town to town, hoping that someone would take pity on us. But we were werewolves or at least I was and not many cared to help us. Werewolves around the world were already having a tough time scraping by.  Some would give us some food here but most people just turned us away so Naruto and I kept walking, living in the woods for long periods of time if we were in-between towns._

_But then came along Hitome and she took us in, giving us food and shelter and raising us like her own. Some years later, she kicked me out and told me to ‘get a life’. So, I left for the nearest city with the knowledge that Hitome had an account with some money set up for me and that Naruto was safe and sound with her. With the money, I registered for school again and I found a job helping at an orphanage. The pay was low and the hours were long but it kept me busy and with a full belly._

_School was hard, after all those years I missed, but I quickly caught back up and got a degree in teaching humans a hundred or so years later. By then, Naruto was old enough to come see me and we got our own place in Port City as Hitome went to go seek out the presence of one of her teachers. I taught for a hundred years there, living with Naruto as if he was the brother I never had, until you dropped that bomb on the school._

_Naruto and I had fought, so, I was outside lecturing him when the school exploded. When I tried to go back inside to help the kids,_ they _took the chance and lured Naruto away. When I noticed he was gone, I ran after him only to find that the Council was talking to him, telling him things….lies._

_They told him that I was the one who had killed his parents and that I was going to kill him soon. He believed them and left with them. I haven’t seen him since then._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked!


	25. Chapter 24

The brunet blinked out of his glazed stupor and his eyes met Kakashi’s, the older man looking just as sympathetic as he felt. Palling, Iruka looked down at his hands, saying as he noticed how tightly he and Kakashi were intertwined, “I've never told anyone that.”

The brunet felt dazed and drained, after having let all that out, and gripped Kakashi’s shirt as he said firmly as he stared up into the other man’s eyes with persistence, “you can’t tell anyone.”

“Don’t worry,” Kakashi said softly as he pulled the younger man closer into a hug. “I won’t if you don’t want me to.”

“I'm sorry…” Iruka bit his lip against the tears in his eyes, knowing that he barely deserved the warmth he was receiving. “I didn't want to tell you because I thought that you’d hate me for making the Base Nine because of him… I'm sorry.”

The vampire felt understanding sweep over him. Iruka was formed the Nine because he wanted to get Naruto back. Kakashi closed his eyes and held Iruka even closer, saying, “Don’t worry, I won’t leave.”

Letting himself get lost in the tenderness he felt being so close and safe in Kakashi’s arms, Iruka closed his eyes and hummed at the promise, the older man tucking the brunet’s head under his chin and running fingers through lose hair as the younger man drifted off.

X-X

“Hey, Iruka,” a nose was scrunched in response. “Come on, we need to leave.”

The teacher slowly opened his eyes after being poked into awareness. He rolled onto his back, yawning from the first great sleep he’d had in a while, and squinted up at the vampire who was knelt over him. Kakashi gave a smirk at the cute sleepy look that was given from the werewolf who asked, “What’s up?”

Kakashi pulled back and stood lithely, looking off towards where Raidō and Genma were reporting their half of the story to the ANBU-uniformed Asuma who nodded at every word and jotted down notes into a little notebook. As Kakashi watched them for a few moments, Iruka took the time to notice how the vampire above him was fully uniformed and couldn’t help but smirk when he remembered how he had originally thought Kakashi would retire from military work. How wrong he had been.

As Asuma noticed Iruka’s awareness, he called out to everyone in the area, including the other two ANBU who waited nearby, “the sun will rise in half an hour and that is hopefully how long it will take to get there, we leave in five minutes.”

Wide-eyed when the urgency of the situation was brought to attention, Iruka bounced up and snatched his pack, hopping away to change as Kakashi politely went to confer with the Bear-masked ANBU in the meanwhile. Ready and dressed, the little werewolf met with the others and they set off towards the Sixth where they hoped to find an empty city.

XxX

Hayate navigated quickly through the mass of people who waited for their turn to pass through the opening in the cliff, water around his ankles sloshing around as he went. He cursed the bad weather and the short notice in which he had to accomplish everything. He frowned harder and almost swore at the amount of people still waiting to pass.

There were so many people.

“Everyone, please stay calm and take your turn! Please keep all small children close at all times and leave unnecessary belongings! This is an emergency! This is not a drill!” A shinobi near the front kept calling out those sentences, repeating them for everyone to hear and loud enough so that he could be heard over the sirens that were blasting loud and clear over all the intercoms, their noise reverberating off the walls and coming back ten times louder.

The people were all chattering among each other, wondering what was going on, some even called out in frustration at being woken up at such an ungodly hour to go out in the cold slush and rain.

Hayate finally hopped up onto a nearby balcony and called out for silence, the crowd frowned and glared up at him as most of the shivered and shook under the shockingly cold bullets of water that hailed down on them.

“Everyone! I know this sucks but your lives depend on getting out of the city and to safety! The city is no longer safe and I have orders from Wolf himself to clear out the city!”

“What?!” people shouted.

“What’s going on?!”

“What’s happening!?”

“Tell us!”

“Are we going to die?”

The Shinobi grimaced and shook his head as he called out, “No! You won’t die but we’re all in grave danger!”

Some were about to scream their confusion when Hayate cut them off with words that silenced them all, “the Council is coming!”

The silence from the crowd was chilling as all that could be hear was the sirens blaring and the rain smacking down. “The Council is coming to check things out and they will destroy us if they get the chance but we won’t give it to them. That’s why you all need to be calm and quiet so that we can get out of here as quickly as possible and get to Konoha. There will be Shinobi guiding you there so no one panic.”

With a nod, he jumped down and headed back into the city to go and help whoever was in need of assistance.

He was halfway to the far end when he heard the explosion. He had just turned around saw the massive fire and smoke that emanated from a grand hole in the side of the cliff that sheltered the Sixth from the sea, the grand waves swarming in to plunge through the open gates and swamp the city, when he heard the screams of horror and pain of the people who had been trying to get through.

The wave of water from the sea smashed into him and he felt himself being swept away by the current until he hit something hard, pain shooting up his arm and side.

He pushed up and broke through the water as the wave subsided and retreated to the sea, leaving debris from all over the city around Hayate who lay prone on the stone ground for a minute, parts of houses, furniture and even a fish laying by him. Struggling to get up, he gasped at the pain in his arm and glanced at it to him no blood but he could already feel it bloating up around his shoulder.

With a dislocated shoulder, he pushed himself to his feet tenderly and was almost knocked over by the mass of people running away from the next wave, screaming louder than before a they ran to the other side of the city.

The second explosion knocked Hayate off his feet and he hit the ground hard, watching in disorientation as the other side of the city blew up in flames and smoke, the other side crumbling down too. The world shook around him as he watched the other side of the gate was destroyed by falling rocks and caught fire from the flames that fell.

Hayate slowly stood again, holding his arm as he felt the air in his throat catch. The whole world was chaos around him as he thought.

They’re here.

X-X

They heard the screams first and Iruka almost lost his footing, catching himself quickly before he and the team gave another burst of speed and shot forward.

They were running along the ocean, in between the trees of the forest that ran alongside it, the grassy ground elevating as the ocean stayed flat. They saw groups of people led by other Shinobi heading in the opposite direction on the shore. The team broke out of the treeline and froze when they saw the smoke emanating from the hole in the cliff side that used to be the Sixth city.

“What do we do?” Puma asked from where she was standing, the blades in her hands shaking with her fright. Iruka bit his lip and said after a moment.

“We got in and get as many survivors out as possible before the bomb detonates.”

“Bomb?” Puma snapped her head to make sure he wasn’t joking only to find he wasn’t watching her.

“Yes, once code Black is initiated, a ten-hour countdown will start. Once that’s over, the whole city will explode to destroy all evidence that there was even a city there. It’s the last-case code that no thought would veer be used but this is an emergency that can’t be taken lightly.”

The whole group fidgeted under the pressure they suddenly felt on their shoulders as Iruka said, “We have less than half an hour.”

The team nodded and Bear said as he approached Wolf, “by the way, the blacksmith near Ichiraku Ramen asked me to give this to you when I went to pick up my new gear.”

Iruka glanced up as Asuma chucked the katana that had been in his back pack at the younger man, the little ANBU catching it with ease. The brunet slipped it out of its sheath slightly to find the work he’d commissioned completed and he smiled to himself under his mask, calling, “let’s move out!”

As the rest of the team moved out, Iruka caught a surprised Kakashi’s arm before the older man could fly off too. “Wait, I want you to have this.”

“W-what?” the katana was thrust into his hands as Kakashi protested, only to be cut off.

“This was supposed to be your promotion gift but I was a little late, sorry.” The older man pulled out the blade that he remembered polishing many times when he was bored and saw the engraving on the blade near the hilt, feeling his heart swell as Iruka explained, “I can’t exactly use a katana properly so I kept thinking that it was a waste to not use it. So, this is my way of saying: congrats.”

The vampire wished there was time for thanks but the moment eluded him as another explosion rang out, closer to their group, and they bolted, running towards the city to protect those who were trapped or needed help.

X-X

The bowl in which the Sixth resided was no longer a bowl but more of a bay as the water from the sea slowly started to seep in, filling the streets that were left with water. It was up to their knees by the time Iruka and Kakashi got to the lip of the city where the rock-face of the bowl had been stripped away to reveal the dirt beneath it.

They struggled down the slope towards the boards that stuck out at awkward angle from the ground, boards that had once been the gate, and climbed over them so that they could follow in the rest of the teams’ footsteps, running through the dense water and searching for survivors among the wreckage.

Iruka was panting hard by the time they had reached the other side of the city, flicking his head back and forth for any other survivors but only finding the bodies that he had pulled up from the surface of the thigh-high water. He glanced over at Kakashi for hope but found the other staring off at something.

He too looked up and saw who Kakashi was staring at. It was a person who was looking down on the city, watching from the highest point.

That person was Deidara.

And the blond was frowning, looking down at the city he had destroyed with a bow to his lips as he waited for….. There it was! Deidara grinned as the next explosion went off, savoring the bright light it emitted before it died. He was basking in that glow when he heard a soft voice call to him, “Deidara.”

The Council assassin turned his head towards his team partner and frowned, “what, un?”

“The Council wants us to report back as soon as they've been exterminated.” Sasori ran a hand through his hair with a shake of his head as he stepped up next to his partner. The blond turned back to his work, letting out a sigh.

“Oh, come on, Master. You’re such a kill-joy, un.” The blond dug around in the satchel at his hip for a new ball of clay. “Let me finish with my fun and then we can go.”

The red-head rolled his eyes and was about to walk away when something caught his eye, calling to Deidara, “looks like we've got company.”

X-X

“The blond one uses explosives so short-range would be best to handle him at.” Iruka pushed harder up the slope and grimaced.

“And the red-head?”

They were almost near the top of the slope, climbing faster. “He uses strings, traps….those sort of things. He’s not actually a field agent like Deidara and works more behind-the-scenes but is still very dangerous.”

They hopped over the edge of the cliff and stood straight as the duo that was standing a little ways away turned to them, smiling.

“Howdy,” the blond said with a grin as the red-head by his side simply watched and scanned their movements. The smile fell when he saw how the rest of the ANBU who were in the city appeared next to the Wolf-masked and Hound-masked ones.

“So, it is true, the rumors that we've heard.” Deidara grinned and agreed with his teammate.

“Yeah, it looks like there might be a little pest problem to take care of.” The smirk unnerved Iruka and made him uneasy and he knew that the smile was one of pride and confidence. It meant that they had something up their sleeve. A thing that was demonstrated when Deidara lifted his arm and said, “I think this calls for backup.”

Moments later, a band of Council soldiers burst through the forest and ran at them just as the ANBU jumped into action and ran at them. Fighting ensued and blood was shed in sheets as the ANBU collided with the soldiers, creating a fray of fighting and battles.

Kakashi knocked over an enemy and quickly scanned the battlefield, finding the two assassins were walking away from the heat of the fight. With cat-like speed, he zipped through the wall of offenders and went after the two who were heading away from the forest and towards the other side of the city. dodging a few swiped, Iruka followed Kakashi’s lead and was by his side in seconds, both of them going after the team that had started to run when they noticed they were being followed.

X-X

“Hmmm…” the blond hummed in wonder as he studied the pair that had followed them into the treeline on the other side of the city, watching them from his spot in the trees before glancing up to see Sasori had done the same.

On edge, the duo slowly crept in between the trees, on the balls of their feet as they studied their surroundings for movement. The air was tense and quiet, as if nature was holding their breath, waiting.

An explosion sounded out, loud and clear, where Iruka had been only moments before and the blond jumped to another tree once his location had been discovered, Kakashi moving in to follow. Iruka was about to do the same when he saw the string that lashed out and grasped his wrist. Quickly, the brunet flicked out a kunai and slashed it, jumping back as the red-head pounced from the trees in an attempt to gouge his eyes out. Iruka gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes behind his mask.

This was going to be a long fight.

x-x

Deidara and Kakashi, on the other hand, were whirling about, a blur of limps and colors as they tried to hit each other. They bounced back for a break, both panting as they stared each other down.

“Hah,” the blond whipped at his forehead as he studied Wolf with curious eyes. “It’s odd….I feel as though I've fought you before.”

The older man didn't fall for it and slid out the katana that he’s tied to his belt, the blade glinting with an almost blue hue in the dull light of the morning. The gleam caught Deidara’s attention and he studied it with an admiration. “Nice blade…..”

Unsheathing his own, the younger man glanced down at it, smirking as he said, “it’s a pity mine’s not so nice….maybe, if I win this fight, I’ll take yours.”

They clashed, Kakashi’s eyes flashing under his mask as their blades strained against each other, giving Deidara time to study its beautiful design. “Ah….that’s a nice name, un…”

 _Raikiri_ ,” the name rolled off his tongue and Kakashi was just about to jump back when a bomb went off right in their faces. He jumped back, coughing up a storm as his mask shattered and dropped to the ground. Looking up, Deidara saw his face and smiled.

“Heh, I thought you felt familiar. Who would've guessed the great Hatake Kakashi would side with the enemy.” In the back of his mind, Deidara knew what had to be done now that he knew who his opponent was. “You really were the best on our side. Its pity you decided to side with them.”

With a bow, the blond bolted out of the treeline and ran towards the hole where the city used to be. Kakashi took a deep breath and followed, hurrying to catch up with the young man so that he could get within range, ignoring the poking feeling he got in his gut.

XxX

Iruka twirled, hopped and evaded until his legs were beginning to feel like jelly, the strings continuing to lash out even as his left leg cramped up, snatching it out from underneath him. The brunet dropped like a rock and slid a few feet, feeling the circulation in his foot cut in and out with every tug to the string. He tried to slash at the string when another snatched his arm and pulled him even further so that the redhead was standing over the younger man, smirking all the while.

“Aw, did the little doggy get caught?” he whispered sweetly as he flipped out a kunai and brought it up to the brunet’s neck. He was just about to flick his wrist when something pulled at his heart and he glanced up.

Taking the opening, Iruka grabbed the redhead’s wrist and sliced off the strings, his feet bringing him away from such a close range. His breath coming out in wheezes, he narrowed his eyes as the other man frowned. What was he…?

The assassin suddenly went wide-eyed. With a burst of speed, he bolt towards Iruka, making the werewolf put up a stance as he went straight past. Iruka watched the other man run away and frowned as well, turning back towards where Sasori had been. He slowly crept forward, moving until he could see through the treeline, and his eyes went wide as well.

Kakashi was standing at the lip, looking down. His head turned and their eyes met in a moment, as if Kakashi had sensed his eyes. Their eyes locked and Iruka watched in horror as the world behind Kakashi suddenly grew bright.

Then the whole area exploded in a whirl.

Iruka was left standing there in shock, the ball of fire almost touching his face, and suddenly he was thrown back. A wave of air hit him and he went flying along with the nearby trees. He bounced once….twice…a third time before he smashed into one of the sturdier trees and gripped onto it as he felt a second wave. He glanced up just in time for the light of a second explosion to flicker in his eyes.

The bomber had blown himself up, causing the timed bomb to be set off as well in the resulting blast.

Iruka blacked out.

He came to for a few moments to see a grey and black-speckled world.

When he finally awoke, his first thought was cold the sky looked.

With a blink, his body tensed into reality and he almost screamed as he shot up into a sitting position. He shivered and panted, his body going haywire at being so close to death again until he tucked his head between his knees and breathed in and out slowly. He was able to think again once his eyes stopped blurring and he looked around him.

He only saw smoke and what seemed like fog, the once-dark sky lighter than before.

There was one thing that was missing.

Iruka snapped his head around, frantically looking and searching.

No no no no no no oh please no.

The werewolf scrambled up and listened, straining to hear a sound, any sound.

A rustle of clothing and Iruka took off, bolting through the smoke towards the shifting and finding another ANBU.

Seeing the bear mask, Iruka swore and spun around in circles as Asuma saw him and asked if he was alright. Iruka shook his head and bolted off again, heading nowhere in search of-

He fell, rolling and tumbling until he fell with a splash into freezing cold water. It didn't take much thought to know what was going on and the werewolf stood in the deep water and looked around him at the destruction.

The Sixth city was gone.

In its place, there was a crater bigger than Konoha herself and Iruka stood and stared.

X-X-X

He had to keep looking. He had to be here somewhere. He was probably just lost. Maybe he needed Iruka’s help. Yeah, that was it.

The brunet was marching around the crater, searching for the silver-haired man who was the only ANBU missing in the team. It had gotten lighter out but the cool air had stayed, permeating everyone’s skin as they watched their captain look everywhere for Hound. They wanted to help, they honestly did but they got the story and knew in their hearts that the search was pointless.

“Captain!” Iruka zipped over to where Puma was standing and the group of ANBU watched as their leader headed in the direction that he was directed in.

Iruka jogged fast, his heart sinking with every step. His legs almost gave out on him when they reached the body.

Kakashi was lying there, pillowed by a mound of earth that his body had pushed back after being thrown so hard by the blast.

The brunet towered over the older man, the emotions inside of him full of turmoil and confusion. He shook his head, gritting his teeth before saying, “hey….”

He kicked the leg closest to him. “Hey!”

Another kick did nothing and the brunet snarled out, “Wake up!”

He dropped to his knees beside the body, gripped the older man’s front and shook him, “damn it! Wake up, Kakashi! Please! Please…..”

The plea earned no response and Iruka hiccuped, his eyes watering and flooding with the tears that stung them, running his hands over the pale throat in search for a pulse that didn't exist. “Don’t do this….please….I can’t….I…..Please….”

The sobs that wracked his body were too much for him to hold up against and he dropped his head to the still chest, whispering, “You said…. t-that…. you’d always be….there…. you are s-such a liar…..”

He broke out into hiccups and tried to calm his racing heart but couldn’t, wincing at the pain pulsing throughout his chest as he said, “it hurts…..you’re hurting me, Kashi…….y-….you shouldn't hurt the people who love you….”

On his lips was where the older man’s name stayed as Iruka wept, repeating it over and over again as the tears kept falling without end.

Bear turned away from the scene, his head bowed as he walked away, and Puma did the same, giving her captain one last pity-filled look before following her senior.

“Yes?” the whisper came out so softly, Iruka almost didn't hear it. He did, though, and he froze, unmoving until a hand came to rest on his side. With a jolt, he snapped up and met smoldering, dark and dancing, red eyes. Covering his mouth, the werewolf grinned and laughed, Kakashi smiling and laughing as well.

Face turning dark, Iruka smack the older man’s arm away and said, “you idiot! H-how long have you been awake?!”

Kakashi only laughed harder and gave Iruka a fond look that made him blush and look away. “As soon as you were by my side, Ruka.”

“Idiot,” the brunet glanced back and asked, “is you….are you hurt anywhere?”

The vampire seemed to study himself before holding out his thumb and saying, “hurts a little here. Kiss it better?”

With a scoff as a response, Iruka took his pale hand in his tan ones, Kakashi smiling even harder all the while. It was then that the smile faded from the older man’s face and his eyes turned serious as they studied the younger man who fidgeted uncomfortably under the gaze.

“What?” the vampire smiled again as his eyes grew soft.

And then their lips were touching, seemingly out of the blue, time freezing with their hands knotted and Kakashi’s other threaded in Iruka’s hair. It was the longest but shortest moment of Iruka’s life and Kakashi wondered if he actually was dead until their lungs burned and Iruka pulled away, their faces only the slightest distance from each other.

“I love you too, Ruka…” there was a moment where Iruka didn't know what to do, meeting the older man’s eyes, and both broke out in soft chuckles, their lips converging again in more kisses that seemed to go.

It was their own little world until Kakashi pulled back, eyes wide.

“Kakashi?” Touching his cheek, Iruka’s concerned eyes met Kakashi own alarmed ones.

“I can’t feel my legs.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!


	26. Chapter 25

**_ The Final Chapter: _ **

“I can’t feel my legs.”

Kakashi willed them to move, staring at them with an intense concentration before giving up in panic. He turned his head away, refusing to look at anything as his heart rate sped up and his breaths became laboured.

“Iruka…. Iruka, I can’t feel my legs….” He was shaking and his mouth could only repeat those words until the brunet grabbed his head and looked him straight in the eyes.

“Hey, calm down, okay? Take a deep breath.” Iruka was almost on the verge of panic as well but played it cool for Kakashi’s sake. “Let me take a look at your back, okay?”

A nod and Kakashi was leaning his head on Iruka shoulder, the younger man reaching around to pull up the chainmail of his armour and his shirt. The small gasp was all Kakashi needed. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”

The giant bruise that covered Kakashi’s lower back was just an indicator for critical wound to Kakashi’s back, presenting the uneven pattern in the older man’s spinal cord. Words stinking in his throat, Iruka tightened his arms and hugged the vampire, knowing what had to be done when he opened his eyes.

“Take my blood,” Kakashi was going to protest when Iruka cut him off, “I warmed you up last time for a really long while. You never know, maybe my blood will be enough.”

Moments ticked by as pros and cons were weighed before Kakashi nodded, the werewolf moving to straddle his thighs as Kakashi sat up further, their eyes met and Kakashi gave Iruka one last kiss before shifting towards the brunet’s collar and nuzzling the crook of his neck.

The bite was quick and Iruka almost didn't feel it except for a small flash of pain in his neck, the pain fizzing away to pure heat as Iruka’s cheeks flamed from the way his heartbeat sped up. It didn't take long for the werewolf to feel Kakashi’s hands slipping up his shirt, blushing against the sensitive skin of his sides and making him whine as he held onto the other man’s shoulders.

Before he knew it, Iruka was a squirming mess and he couldn’t help but groan each time Kakashi hummed or shifted. The silver-haired man never wanted it to end, feeling Iruka’s nails through his armour and hearing the soft mewling in his ear as blood that made its way into his mouth, his whole body going numb except for his head and fingers. His senses were getting the workout of a lifetime and Iruka wasn’t any better off.

The world suddenly fell and Iruka was on his back, both their hips grinding into each other and the younger man was quickly falling apart. Limbs jerked and lips collided, the two of them forgetting what the initial goal had been and just loosing themselves in the moment until they were spent.

Kakashi’s arms and legs were shaking, using all his strength to not fall on top of the brunet who laid there panting with flushed cheeks. Their foreheads touched and Iruka grinned, “Gets better and better each time.”

They broke out into laughter and smiles that brightened the day as the clouds overhead thickened and overflowed, rain beginning to pour down much to the lovers’ obliviousness. They were simply lost in each other’s smiles.

X-X

Sarutobi sighed at the rain outside and shuffled back over to his desk, shifting around a few of the folders into a tidier workplace. It was early in the morning and his stress levels were already as high as his blood pressure could take. From the way things were playing out, he could tell that those levels were probably not going to go any lower by the end of the day.

A steady flow of people were slowly being administered through the front gates, beings from the Sixth city which, undoubtedly, there would be nothing left of soon. It was something that couldn’t be avoided, the Council finding out, and the Hokage had known that they would eventually be discovered. He just hadn't thought it would’ve been so soon.

Well, it was happening now and they simply had to roll with the punches was what the old man decided, slipping off the official hat that came with his job.

Falling back into his chair with a whoosh, he continued with his cleaning by drawing open a draw and filing through it, each paper finding itself a home on a pile on his desk. The same happened with the next few drawers until he came upon the last, the one which he had been dreading to clean, seeing as he hadn't even opened it in ages.

Curious, he pulled out the first few file folders and sorted through them, most of the files being about finances and infiltration missions into the Council. Once the drawer was empty, he gave the bottom a glance before doing a double take when his eyes lighted upon a crack he hadn't seen in the drawer’s twin.

He reached down and fumbled about with a confused wonder until a button was hit, a part of the drawer’s bottom popping up to reveal more files along with old, dusty photos.

Picking up the first with care, he gingerly held the aged photo within his fingers as memories assaulted him from the picture it depicted; a few people gathered around a table as they poured over a map. It was one of the first official Base Nine meetings.

Another photo was of little brunet standing next to an older one. The elder was taller and sturdier while the other was shorter and thinner, though, their eyes were both cold and hard. Their first-model ANBU gear bulky and ill-fitting on them, splattered with the mud and dirt they’d been digging through which would be the first steps of Konoha’s construction.

Anko could be seen eating dango in another, Ibiki sitting down next to her as he read from a well-worn book.

Little Iruka was sitting down playing cards with the only shape-shifter in the gang, Hiteroshi.

Several other pictures were spread out over the desk by the time Sarutobi finally reached the files, being pulled into the past of watching his young wards grow, some of them dying along the way. The memories made him smile with sadness.

He missed being with the little group, talking with all of them and messing around with them.

But their sacrifices would not be forgotten by any of them. Having that harmony that their group had was what they were fighting for except on a larger scale.

The pictures were finally put away after the longest time and the drawer was shut again, the files at the bottom forgotten as the old man moved out of his office. He shuffled out to the balcony that overlooked Konoha and stood out there for the longest time, relishing in what they had created over time.

He couldn’t help but smile.

XxX

“Well….. I’ve been better but…” Kakashi pulled out of stretch he’d been doing and threw his on-looker a smile. “It’s still pretty extraordinary.”

“All better?” Iruka asked as Kakashi pulled him out of his cross-legged position on the ground.

“Beside the bruise, I'm as fit as a fiddle.” The vampire’s face grew into a leer that spoke volumes as he wrapped his arms around the thin waist. “However will I repay you?”

The smirk was so contagious that Iruka could couldn’t help but grin back as their faces slid closer together. Iruka pretended to hum in thought. “I think you’ve redeemed yourself enough.”

That fact was more than true as the werewolf felt as though he was walking on clouds, despite the nagging feeling at the back of his mind that he was forgetting something. He pushed that aside in favour of Kakashi’s lips and focused on them until the feelings came back in full force. The older man pulled back, as if he could sense them as well.

“We should get back,” Iruka muttered with a touch of remorse at being happy when the Sixth had been completely destroyed.  Kakashi agreed and they made their way through the smoking trees of the forest, greeted by the other ANBU who sighed in relief when they saw the living Wolf who had pulled up his collar until the bridge of his nose to attempt hiding his identity from their comrades.

But something wasn’t right. They could all feel it as it crept under their skin and it made them twitch as they made their way back to Konoha. They were halfway there when their feelings were indulged with a bleeding Shinobi running towards them calling, “Help!”

“What is it?” Bear hurried over, the rest of the team behind him, as they Shinobi with shaking hands and wide eyes sobbed at them.

“The Council….they’ve found Konoha.”

“What?” Asuma demanded.

“They’re attacking Konoha.”

X-X-X

The world was whirling around Iruka and the run to Konoha had been short, sprinting at top speeds towards their home that they could see emitted smoke in the distance.

The gates were thrown wide and they could hear metal clashing from within.

And the bodies.

They were the second thing they saw after the gates, people thrown to the sides of the gates. They had most probably tried to stop the attackers from entering but had fought a losing battle, seeing how they had been thrown aside like dolls.

Iruka wrinkled his mouth and nose against the smell that invaded his senses, making his eyes water even through his mask. How their front line had fallen so quickly was a fact that Iruka cringed at as they approached the small mounds of people.

“No,” Iruka turned to find what the panda-masked ANBU was staring at. The faint glimmer of grey hair caught his eye under the pile of bodies and his eyes widened, pushing his way past Panda as he dropped to his knees and pushed aside more of the dead to pull out the body of the Hokage, all the while repeating in a chant Panda’s objection.

All eyes went wide and hearts seemed to stop as Iruka cradled the old man’s head in his lap, faint sobs heard from the brunet at their feet.

Tears filled his eyes and his hands shook with a terror as he mirrored the action with his head, shaking it in defeat. This was the last straw. He couldn’t take it anymore. He was done; a broken leader couldn’t lead, after all, and he was most definitely broken.

They were shaken out of their stupor as a scream filled the air, chills running down Kakashi’s back as he sensed the despair that overwhelmed them. Their city was dying right before them and they couldn’t help but feel like lost puppies, their leader gone and backup nowhere in sight.

Feeling the sense of downfall from Iruka, Kakashi felt his heart drop and he knew that this was just too much for the little werewolf to take at once. Wolf was out of order and it looked like he wouldn’t be stepping up anytime soon.

The silver-haired ANBU gripped his katana harder and pulled up his resolve, years of working under the Council coming back to him just as Bear was about to bolt off into the fray beyond the obscuring gate they were gathered next to.

“Don’t,” Kakashi warned as he snatched out and grabbed Asuma’s wrist, almost able to taste the liquid rage that poured off of the taller man in waves. He didn't let go until Asuma finally swore and threw off Kakashi’s hand, walking away a small distance to collect his thoughts as Kakashi stepped up in front of their small group.

The others looked up from their states of shock as Kakashi glanced around himself at them, declaring, “This is hell, okay?”

This is hell but this is our home.” He continued after pausing. “This is our home and this is the home of all the citizens of Konoha and will be the home for all the survivors of the Sixth and the others who will take shelter here.”

Some of the ANBU looked away, unable to bring themselves face-to-face with what was coming up next.

“But if we don’t get our asses out there, there won’t be a home left.” He stared each and every one of them down as he spoke until his eyes rested on the brunet who didn't look up.

It was obvious Iruka wasn’t going to be doing anything anytime soon so he turned to the rest and said, “So, let’s fight.”

“And how will we do that?” Puma spoke up from the back and Kakashi nodded.

“Right,” he moved to the gate and peeked around the corner, taking in the sight as a few ANBU followed him. He saw the fire coming from one of the buildings in the distance and heard the clanging of steel and other metals that signaled fighting, relaying the situation to the other ANBU near him who nodded.

As he walked back to the rest of the group, the others at his heels after having their own look at Konoha, he could see that the unease from earlier was gone, replaced by the determination to save their families, friends and dwellings. Asuma had even joined their small group and a look in the direction of the bodies told Kakashi that Iruka’s shoulders had stopped shaking.

With a nod, he motioned everyone to come closer and he did a quick headcount. “Okay, we’ll split up into teams; some teams will be subject to change at any moment so I’m going to briefly describe each team. Team one will push out the enemy and drive them back as far possible. If they resist, eliminate them. Team two will gather all the civilians, wounded and children and get them to safety. The safety spot will be the hospital unless overrun, in which case, the safety spot will become the academy. Team three will be the go-to team. They will act as odd-jobs and help out wherever help is needed on both teams and relay what I just told you to the other Shinobi that are available around the city. Am I clear?”

The nods that he received were enough and he quickly split them into two teams. His heart hammered as he watched them bound off, leaving him alone with no one but a quiet brunet.

“Iruka?” there was a slight turn of the head and Kakashi stepped closer, stooping down to place his hand on the younger man’s cold shoulder. Iruka slowly looked up at him, his warm eyes shining with tears brightly enough for Kakashi to see them through his mask. The vampire’s heart burned for Iruka at the sight and he took the werewolf into his arms, Iruka burrowing his head and fingers into Kakashi’s shoulders, “hey, it’s okay. We’ll get through this.”

There was a silent nod and Kakashi hugged tighter, “we’ll be team three, okay?”

He was about to stand up when he was pulled even closer, hands on his shoulders tightening as Iruka whispered faintly, “thank you, Kakashi.”

Kakashi nodded in return and pulled them up, giving Iruka’s hand a squeeze before they bounded into the village.

X-X

Time seemed to go on and on forever. Bodies piled up in the streets from both sides and things were beginning to have a little more order than before. Kakashi dodged another attack to his jugular easily and sliced with accuracy at the neck of the human who wore a standard-issue Council uniform, glancing at his surroundings quickly.

That one had been the last in the area but as he pressed on, Kakashi could hear more screams. It wasn’t long before he came across a new battle ground on which shifters, werewolf, humans and vampires fought.

Most streets and roads in Konoha had been torn up along with some houses, the cause still unclear to Kakashi, while some houses still stood tall between fights that continued to rage on between both sides.

The vampire avoided another bullet to the face and called for the troops to fall back behind another building. As they raced through another alley, Kakashi couldn’t help but find the situation odd. Most of their opponents were humans and shifters.

No, all of their opponents were humans and shifters.

Among the fray, Kakashi had hardly seen any vampires on the opposing side. He swore to himself as he ducked lower behind the windows of the building that was torn apart by bullets, realization hitting him.

This was just the on-hand infantry division.

And if Kakashi knew anything about the Council, which he was pretty sure he did, he knew that this was only a twitch in the Council’s powerhouse of command. Their real army was nowhere near the size and strength that these mere foot-soldiers possessed and Kakashi quickly determined that they wouldn’t last too long.

He glanced to his side, relieved to see that Iruka was crouched close with another Shinobi next to him. They had found as many others as possible and were now forced to fight so as to keep from getting themselves and more civilians killed.

“We can’t hold out much longer, captain!” the Shinobi called to Kakashi, the vampire blinked at the name for a few seconds until the Shinobi called again over the blaring of bullets and clashing, “captain! What do we do?!”

The silver-haired man shook out of his stupor, glancing over at the brunet who didn't seem to mind that Kakashi had been charged with his title. Kakashi flinched as the wall to their left exploded and enemy troops slipped in, the three of them escaping with the others through another alley with the dust of the explosion as their cover.

The question rang out in Kakashi’s mind and he struggled to find an answer, an answer that he couldn’t attain.

Everything was becoming worse by the moment, they were getting backed up into the centre of the city, meeting with other Shinobi and ANBU who were in a similar situation.

They all felt their breaths catching, everyone around the city, as guns were pulled up and aimed at foreheads.

Until the invaders found themselves trapped, at least.

They fell, blood gushing from wounds that appeared almost out of nowhere, their bodies falling to the ground as unfamiliar troops stepped out into the open.

The strangers’ cloaks flapped in the light breeze as they scanned the area for anymore of the Council scum. The bright red insignia on their backs bore a swirl that survivors’ eyes were drawn to.

Kakashi stood from his crouched position with caution and stepped into the light that the clouds were letting through to see their enemies being slaughtered by other hands. The rest of his group crept out of the dead-end alley to watch as the figures in white cloaks mercilessly killed, staining the white of their cloaks red with blood.

It was the silence after in which Kakashi stepped into the street, looking up the street to find more of the figures in white standing atop a pile of rubble that used to be someone’s home. The figure in green was the one who caught his eye. They were nodding at something that was being said to them by a white-cloak, the one in the open, green cloak turning to look in Kakashi’s direction.

Hood having been pulled back, the silver-haired man’s eyes widened at seeing who she was and he heard multiple gasps come from behind him. The woman’s brown eyes flashed with gravity that made the other behind him shiver, that made Iruka wince.

She stopped not too far away from Kakashi, looking him over with a critical eye that fell upon his signature blood-red eye.

“I heard you took charge.” She stated as she crossed her arms in a way that called for authority and Kakashi nodded. Tsunade nodded back at him and said, “Good. Thank you for your efforts, we’ll take it from here, Hatake.”

“We’ll?” Kakashi asked as the older woman brushed passed him, stopping in her steps to look back at him.

“Seeing as the status of the Hidden Cities’ government is now at a current low, I think it would be best if you let my people and I handle things.” She turned her back to him and walked away, leaving Kakashi to stare dumbly at her as she went to check up on the other people who had floated out of the alley.

It was her control of the situation that put things back together, civilians and Shinobi alike helping their new allies to organize the city again.

Lost in the wind of Tsunade’s instructions, Kakashi founds himself helping as well, body so overworked that he went about with his head empty. There were long hours of scrounging the city for food and supplies that drifted by until there was nothing left to find, leaving the vampire to be reassigned duties.

While wounded were tended to, he took down names of survivors, numbly telling them in which room and in which building they would stay if their lodgings were destroyed after homes, hotels and any other means of housing were counted and test quickly.

The sun had long since set and midnight had gone by without any indication. It was only when Kakashi was called to the meeting room near what used to be the Hokage’s office that he realized how much time had gone by.

He dimly nocked on the door that was immediately opened for him, a man with many years on his back ushering him inside. Room filled with many people, shifters, humans, werewolves and vampires alike, Kakashi’s eyes only alighted on the ANBU who stood stock-still in front of the many people whose eyes stared at the small form with an aversion that made Kakashi’s skin crawl.

“Kakashi, thank you for joining us.” Tsunade greeted wearily from across the table before addressing the others at the table. “Board, this is the young man that took charge.”

Most turned their heads up to stare at Kakashi with what seemed like respect, respect that put Kakashi on edge and made him wake up more to what was going on around him.

“Kakashi, would you care to escort Wolf, here, over to his room for the night?” Kakashi nodded and received thanks as both he and Iruka were shooed out.

The streets were dark, the only light on the road was that coming from the homes that had power as the streetlights’ power had been put to more essential uses. Sounds of laughter or even any sounds at all were gone except for the tapping of his and Iruka’s boots on the cold ground. The silenced was unnerving and Kakashi was about to speak when Iruka beat him to it.

“They’re an underground group of people who support werewolves and are against the Council, the people in coats. They’ve been in hiding for the past few hundred years.” The brunet explained in a soft voice. “The others that you saw in the meeting were concerned citizens who believe that their input can help Konoha.”

Kakashi nodded and asked, “So, they’re going to act as a Council of Konoha?”

“Pretty much,” the rest of their walk towards the hotel Iruka was to stay at was silent.

The door to the room was finally open and Kakashi stepped into the sparse and small room, eyes running over the single bed and the dresser just as he heard a thump. Spinning around, he found Iruka on his knees, head bowed with his mask dropped to the floor beside him.

At his side in an instant, Kakashi cradled Iruka in his arms as the werewolf dropped off in sleep almost at once, silent tears falling down his cheeks.

The vampire picked up the brunet and kicked the door closed behind him, dropping them both down on the small bed without any more words. It took not even a moment before Kakashi was out like a light too, the whole day catching up with him as he fell into sleep.

X-X-X-X-X

Morning light was too beautiful, in Kakashi’s opinion.

He reached across the small space and pushed back a strand of hair that had fallen down on Iruka’s sleeping face, the sparkling light falling across the brunet’s cheekbones.

It was May and the sun shined bright in the sky, the rain and snow long gone along with the cold it brought. Things in Konoha were beginning to brighten as new buildings seemingly popped up every day, vampire and werewolves helping with their extra strength and speed to help Konoha start anew under the direction of their newly appointed Hokage, Tsunade.

The group Kakashi had first thought of as the ‘Council of Konoha’ was dubbed to be Konoha’s Civilian Board and they were more than helpful when it came to managing the city, taking care of a big part of all the paperwork and organization. This new group seemed to bring life to Konoha, citizens’ morale up to new highs even under such horrible circumstances.

They even planned to continue on with the Festival so that things seemed as normal as possible with even a special event for people lost at the Sixth and during the invasion. People had been preparing all week for the Festival that day, games and stands being set up the day before, and the energy in the air was electric.

The air around Kakashi and Iruka, though, didn't have much to do with the Festival.

The two of them were still staying in that hotel room that Iruka was assigned, Kakashi having given his assigned room to a very nice, recently widowed woman and her three children. They had gone to the spot where their old place used to be only to find a large pile of rubble. The only things they could salvage were a few pieces of clothing and their tiny stick of a tree that now sat in a corner of their small room.

But Iruka and Kakashi were happy, just like everyone else was. They were happy to wake up next to each other in the morning even though the bed was tiny and happy with being able to come home to each other after they’d worked their bodies to the limit during the day. Their evenings were comprised of going down to the public cafeteria for dinner together and then spending long hours together in their small space, sharing kisses, caresses and their bodies with each other until they drifted off into sleep. In the morning, it would start again and they were content.

It was the feeling around them, though, that was frightening. When they were together, everything was perfect and felt right but whenever they went their separate ways for the day, Kakashi could sense an underlying itch that something was wrong and it would creep closer with every passing day. It was a feeling of panic that was trying to work its way in, growing so strong that Kakashi could feel it even when he was with Iruka now.

Taking a deep breath, Kakashi pulled the brunet closer and relished at being so close, the prick of that feeling melting away into the background. Everything was good, everything was fine so long as he and Iruka with him.

XxX

Iruka twitched away from a passerby who almost bumped him, leaning in closer to Kakashi’s welcoming glow as they continued on down the street, hand in hand.

The past few months had been amazing, despite their eminent doom at their doorstep.

Apparently, the Council had finally gotten word that their troops would not be returning and had sent in more troops to deal with their ‘problem’. With the help of a spy or two that Tsunade had long ago woven into the Council, they had been able to send out a group of the higher-trained Shinobi to ambush them as they hid in one of the Council-ruled cities nearby. The city had sustained a lot of damage but the citizens were fine if not a little shaken up, hiding in their homes for the time being.

Things had been turning up, looking towards a happy path, but Iruka couldn’t help but feel left out.

ANBU had been disbanded, animal masks no longer of use to anyone and now collecting dust, and their uniforms were now being made for each and every Shinobi to wear, including a new white coat this time. The Base Nine were history now and Iruka had hardly seen much of Asuma or even their other friends.

But people were happy and that was what drove Iruka, what told him that what was going to happen was for the best.

He squeezed Kakashi’s hand tighter in an unconscious fashion and the older man stopped in his tracks, giving the brunet an odd look as he asked, “Are you alright?”

“What? Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” Iruka looked away, his eyes staring off into the distance contradicting his previous statement.

“Iruka,” Kakashi said quietly, making the brunet flinch. He pulled them out of the oncoming traffic of people and onto the side of the lantern-lined road, “what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, Kakashi,” Iruka wouldn’t meet his eyes, setting off alarms in Kakashi’s head as the older man tried to get Iruka to look at him.

“You’ve been acting strange lately.” Those words made Iruka bite his lip.

“Please, Kakashi, can we just go…” the younger man pleaded. Iruka didn't want to talk about this. He was going to do that later, not now. He just wanted to have one last night with Kakashi and then he would explain later. Just the thought of that coming moment made his eyes prickle and Iruka shut them tightly. “Please, Kakashi,”

“No, I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s wrong.”

“Please, I just….” The teacher’s shoulders were taken into Kakashi’s grip and a tear fell.

“What is it, Ruka?” Iruka eyes filled with even more tears and Kakashi struggled to keep calm even though his insides were screaming.

“It’s nothing.” That jabbed at Kakashi’s heart and he pushed harder.

“Then why can’t you tell me?” the tears were falling liberally now and Iruka turned his head away as he whispered words that stopped Kakashi’s heart.

“I don’t…..want this to end.”

As Iruka’s breaths came out in sobs, Kakashi couldn’t feel his own, body going numb, “what?”

Hardening his heart, Iruka turned back to Kakashi, eyes tearful but determined as he said though his choppy breathing, “I was supposed to be responsible.”

Iruka shook his head and looked away again, “I was supposed to think before jumping into anything. The cities relied on me and I let them down when they most needed me.”

Kakashi shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

“I let my emotions get away with me, I got us discovered by the Council and I let information leak.” Iruka wiped his nose angrily as Kakashi tried to grasp the situation.

“But what does this have to-”

“They’re blaming me, Kakashi.” Iruka said softly. “Someone has to take responsibility for this.”

There was a moment to heavy silence as the vampire tried to find the right words to say and Iruka sniffed, his whole plan to tell Kakashi after they’d gone home and made love after the perfect night crumbling under his feet.

“Now that I’m eighteen and there’s a war coming up, they can’t trust me since I’ve pretty much committed treason. But I know too much. They’re going to send me away to an undisclosed location until things settle down.”

“No,” Kakashi was shaking his head but Iruka pressed on, ignoring the older man’s words.

“I’ll have constant supervision. The guards will live with me until a time when I can return but it’ll be Genma and Raidō so it won’t be so bad….”

Kakashi was about to ask why he couldn’t come to, his mind so full of confusion that he wasn’t processing things right until Iruka said, “They’ve nominated you as war general, Kakashi.”

Whipping tears away, Iruka smiled up at him, “they really did pick the best person for the job.”

“No,” Kakashi shook his head in denial, this wasn’t happening. “No,”

“The decisions have been made, Kakashi.” Iruka gave the vampire a stony look. “There’s nothing we can do now.”

Kakashi stumbled back, shaking his head all the while in disbelief before he turned and bolted down the street full of people. He didn't register bumping into anyone or his name being called. He could only run, run from the panic that was swallowing him whole and trying to devour him. He only stopped running when the hyperventilating took over and he dropped onto a bench he’d found himself in front of, eyes wide and mouth open in a silent scream as his heart silently broke, leaving him an empty shell.

The tears in Iruka’s eyes fell as he walked away from the busy street, only making it a few feet down the dark alley before his knees gave out and he dropped to the ground. His body shut down as he kept thinking that this wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

He never thought that it would come to this. He briefly remembered nights of correcting homework next to Kakashi on their sofa and late-night movie marathons.

Tears streamed even faster down his cheeks as he lifted his head up to the sky, wondering why he’d asked Kakashi to come with him to the Sixth in the first place before remembering that spark that they’d had and still felt. A red eye flashed into his mind as the first firework of the night lighted the sky, reflecting off his teary eyes as he looked up to watch.

The fireworks would go on for the rest of the night, the sky lighting with all the colors of the rainbow in memory of the people who they’d lost; family members, loved ones and friends. Iruka couldn’t help but feel as though he’d lost more that night, Kakashi’s face flashing into his mind along with Hitome’s, Puma’s and many more of the people who’d died.

Genma and Raidō finally found him, staring up at the sky, almost an hour later with words that told him that they’d moved his things to their place and that it was time for him to rest.

Iruka nodded and stood impassively, following them back to their undamaged apartment.

He watched the sad faces that were turned up to the sky in mourning and gave the sky one last look.

He hoped that he’d sacrificed enough.

 


	27. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, I hope you enjoyed.

He hated his job.

It had been ages since he’d thought those words but that sentence was one that he felt would be repeated over and over again, haunting him and following him. They were words that wanted to hold him tight and squeeze the life out of him and he hated it.

But did he hate his employer? No, he couldn’t; this was just something that had to be done so that everyone could be happy. Everyone that is, except for him and…

The last two days had been longer than he had initially thought would be and it was killing him. he excepted the time to fly by and his chance to visit Iruka one last time would vanish, leaving him with only a bitter taste in his mouth, but fate was waving that chance in front of his face by making time go so unbearably so. Kakashi wondered if destiny was trying to lure him in so that he could break his heart all over again, which would inevitably happen by going to Iruka.

And yet….

Kakashi took one last breath and sighed, sliding out of bed and pulling on a pair of loose jeans before stepping up to the door of the hotel room that he now shared with no one but himself now that Iruka’s things had been packed and shipped out, what little was left at least.

He drew open the door and leaned against the door jamb as he handed Asuma a narrowed-eyed stare. The other looked right back, the look in his eyes of remorse and pity saying a lot more that he did when he spoke, “they’re leaving.”

Asuma watched as Kakashi looked away, the dark circles under his eyes emphasizing the dead look that was present as he said, “I know.”

Their eyes met again and the brunet couldn’t help but shiver at the cold and empty wave that ran over him. Asuma was the first to glance away and Kakashi sighed again, turning to close the door as the taller man shoved his foot in the entrance.

“There’s still time to see him, Kakashi.”

Kakashi drew his gaze back up to Asuma, saying with his miserable eyes and hopeless-filled voice, “I know.”

And he shut the door.

X-x

When the little brunet who was waiting patiently by the front gate that led to his new life outside Konoha saw the older man coming towards them by himself, he almost broke down and dropped into a puddle of tears, the reality of the situation coming down on him like a ton of bricks. He almost fell but he held his head high as the other former-ANBU member approached them and shook his head, telling them that it was time to set out.

He was going over the plan once more, telling Raidō, Genma and Iruka on which direction they would take and where the car would wait to take them to the safe house, the little brunet trying to focus and managing until the final moment that they were in Konoha. Iruka looked back towards the village for one last look for what would be many years, hoping to see that shock of silver hair that he was craving to see.

The wish kept persisting, following them even after Konoha was well out of sight.

X-X

“Okay, here we are,” Genma turned to the other three who had fallen behind, catching their guide’s eyes as he moved closer to the car, he and Asuma standing close enough for the older man to hear the honey-man’s whisper.

“He doesn’t look so good,” the nod towards Iruka and how the brunet’s face was so pale and tense was acknowledged with another as Asuma pulled open the awaiting car’s door.

Raidō was pulling up ahead of him, the brunet saw, and that was when he stopped walking, merely meters away from the road and the car.

His stilling caught Asuma’s attention and Iruka opened his mouth, wanting to say something but the tears in his eyes beat him to it and grasped at his throat as they made their way down his cheeks.

He couldn’t do this, no. He couldn’t. He wanted….he wanted to stay….he didn't want to go. Why did he have to leave? Why did he have to go and leave everyone, leave his friends…..why did he have to leave Kakashi, leave and hurt him.

Those pained dark eyes flashed into his mind, speaking betrayal and sorrow that stabbed at Iruka’s heart.

He didn't hear his name as Asuma dropped his pack and picked up the chase, Raidō following his lead once he realized what was going on.

Iruka didn't care because he needed this; he needed to see him one last time.

X-X

Kakashi felt his heart stop.

That rhythmic thumping vanishing into the air with the rest of the world as the last half hour of sitting in that empty room caught up with him, those pregnant moments filled with twitching nerves, convincing and irregular heartbeats that led to his heart stopping entirely.

Stopping long enough for him to snap out with a jolt, his mind made with that last breath.

He wouldn’t lose him.

His heart was beating again, twice its normal pace as the adrenaline through his veins moved with the desperation in his heart, running too fast and with so much purpose that he didn't notice the Shinobi who had been staked on the nearest roof in wait.

He couldn’t just sit there anymore. He had to move, to get out and to do something. That something was what he couldn’t stay away from but what he had been trying to avoid. It was what he needed, though, what he wasn’t prepared to lose just yet.

Who he couldn’t lose.

He was panting, struggling for breath by the time he smelled his addiction. The smell hit him like a brick wall and he stopped midway through the clearing that tingled at his mind, head spinning until he heard that voice.

It was then that Iruka felt that heartbeat that made his pulse quicken, only taking milliseconds to burst through the thicket onto the rocky surface of what used to be an old parking lot.

They called out to each other, relief and grief pouring through them like water as they collided, holding each other tight while they wept and babbled nonsense about love and how they didn't want to part.

Words that made Kurenai, a fledging Shinobi who came to help after deserting the nearby Council-run city, stop and watch. Her heart felt the pain that came from the two star-crossed lovers in the meadow and began to cry soft tears for them as she performed the duty set upon her and stepped forward as Asuma did so from his side.

She felt like she was going in slow motion as she watched the tall, coffee-haired man pried the two apart and pulled the little brunet away, wailing, from the man he loved. The scene was one that would he engraved in her mind forever as one of the most heart-breaking things she’d ever seen.

It was while Iruka clutched at Asuma’s shirt for support and sobbed, the bigger man half holding and half dragging him away while Kurenai stepped forward and pointlessly held the howling Kakashi back, that the remaining citizens from the destroyed city where Kakashi’s family mansion resided came out.

They witnessed and watched as lovers from what they once thought were opposing sides were wrenched apart.

And that was the beginning.

_For All I’m Worth_


End file.
